Like Moth to Flame
by Angelwrath
Summary: Elves and dwarves, enemies forever? Wicked little cupid has other plans-the forces of attraction and fate alter the lives of two princes, as Tauriel struggles with an uncertain heart. But does it matter at all, as their peoples wage war, and Middle Earth is threatened by a powerful evil. Will passion prevail? Movieverse, DOS, BoFA, beyond. Kili/Tauriel ?Legolas, Hobbit cast, few OC
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**

**Setting: The Hobbit Movies: Desolation of Smaug, Battle of the Five Armies and beyond**

**Pairing: {Kili and Tauriel}and Legolas**

**From the first time I saw these three in the "Desolation" I was hooked. Kili is adorable, Tauriel is irresistible, and Legolas is…well…Legolas (swoon). Problem is their people hate each other; oh and some are supposed to die in the Battle of the Five Armies, in the world of Tolkien. Still, that horrid fact did not deter me from shipping something awful.**

**I don't own any of this remarkable story, just my own storyline I formed with the characters.**

**Warnings include spoilers, violence, mature situations, most likely will become M just because that is how I fly. I assume you have seen the movies, so I don't go crazy reiterating all the lines verbatim; just the ones I want to. I cling to cannon, but this is not intended to be just a novelization. I like to write between the lines and expand upon the scenes that we don't get to see… create new scenes in the worlds of Tolkien and Jackson with my vision.**

**Constructive criticism is always welcome. Please, read, enjoy and review!**

**(rewritten 12/15)**

**AW**

* * *

><p><em>Now, this is just not fair...<em>

Kili thought this as he struggled with the monster, valiantly fighting to keep the large spider's razor sharp jaws out of the range of his face and arms.

Kili had heard when the rest of the dwarves were caught up in an ambush just a moment before, so he tried to crawl into the brush and hide, but then this giant spider found him. He finally distracted the black beast by a swift, hard kick; but that just seemed to enrage it more. He finally yelled out in pain as it grabbed his foot. Next, his hand was struck by a furry appendage and his weapon launched out of his reach.

"From bad to worse." Kili groaned, and grabbed the fangs threatening to spear his throat with his bare hands...

Just as he thought himself definite spider food, his blood slated to be turned into the next liquid meal of his assailant, from out of the twisted, dark forest came an arrow that buried itself between the spider's eyes. Kili pushed the hulking body of the dead beast off of him and searched the dark woods. He spotted her out of the corner of his eye…his savior came rushing down from the canopy in the form of a she-elf archer with flaming red hair. But... she was no ordinary, lithe tall thing, she was rapid movement, muscle and deadly precision.

She was…astounding.

Kili tore his eyes away from her to check on the progress of the latest beast scurrying towards him.

"Throw me a dagger! Quick!" Kili shouted urgently, above the shrieks of dying monsters.

"If you think I am giving you a weapon, dwarf, you are mistaken." the she-warrior growled, as a precisely aimed projectile skewered the pea brain of the spider bearing down on him.

Even though she denied him a weapon to save himself, Kili was begrudgingly impressed as she lay to waste the rest of the monsters surrounding them. The skill of a woodland elf warrior was a spectacle to see, but it seemed even more so in the feminine form; refined, graceful, smoother than her male counterparts. Kili's frustration turned into wonder and he looked on, wide eyed, as she gloated subtly over her arachnid kills.

The Dwarves of Erebor had been ambushed by the Silvan guard on their seemingly endless journey through Mirkwood. Kili knew he and his dwarf brethren were in trouble, captured by the wood elves; a darker, more bitter, and more dangerous crew than their Rivendell counterparts, but at least they were no longer in imminent danger of death by spider. But Kili could not bring himself to worry about that. In a way, Kili felt he was now in even more danger, but of a different sort.

Kili was guided none too gently by his savior-captor elf to the rest of the group, but he found himself stealing awkward glances at the red haired fighter. The chiseled elven features were sharp on her face, more sharp than that of the maids he saw at Rivendell. She looked at him harshly, with no deference in her stony gaze. Her visage was a practiced, tight mask of authority and control.

Kili felt the heat threaten to color his cheeks so he turned his face down, away from her, and concentrated on his feet, crunching through the underbrush. It must have made him look a bit bashful, because when he glanced up again, a slight wrinkle had formed between her brows and her hard, green eyes had softened a bit. Just for a moment.

When they joined the group, Kili overheard the she-elf warrior being referred to as Tauriel. The way she held herself and barked at the rest of the soldiers around her, he surmised she must be some kind of leader. Tauriel approached and talked urgently with a tall blonde fighter, the one the elves referred to as Legolas, which was the only elf she showed any deference to. His mannerism was menacing, domineering and angry towards everyone, especially Kili's uncle, Thorin. Except for when the man-elf set his eyes on Tauriel.

The blonde elf's shoulders were decorated with the finest elven armor, indicating he was an important elf of high position; Legolas was the one in command here, but he seemed to show Tauriel some favor. Kili's heart twisted.

_Tauriel. A beautiful name for such a... _Kili thought for a second. Then he shook his head, growling to himself in frustration. _Kili, stop looking at her. She's a bloody elf._

Kili remained largely quiet for the trip in, stripping off the sticky webs that covered him as he plodded along, grumbling and defiant, like the other dwarves. Before long, they were ushered through the gates of Mirkwood, a tall, beautiful structure that almost completely incorporated itself into its surroundings, making it difficult to discern unless you were right upon it. They were led over arching, delicate walkways that looked like the twisted roots of a massive tree, and finally, they were led down to the dungeon.

As he was led to his cell, by the same she-elf, he looked the right and saw his brother being stripped of the remainder of his hidden weapons. The knife buried in Fili's jacket must have been his last one, because he heard Fili groan and saw him roll his eyes before he was pushed unceremoniously into the awaiting cell. Kili looked up to his captor. The one who was imprisoning him gazed down on him with an uncaring gaze. He tried to not notice her delicate features, and tried to seem angry about his impending jailing. But then, despite himself, his playful side jumped out.

"Aren't you going to search me? I could have anything down my trousers…" Kili said, with feigned seriousness. He could barely keep his face straight...Her green eyes were frigid, like icy, round jewels.

"Or nothing at all." She returned, her eyes intent on him, her face turning into a teasing, yet cautionary expression. She pushed him in the cell, shutting the ornate gate with a clang. Kili's breath was taken away.

_Not only beauty, but she has a biting wit as well. Oh my gods...I am lost._

Kili's eyes were drawn to look upon the sleek movements of the she-elf as she floated down the stairs towards Legolas. The fire colored hair wafted gently around her, waving behind her slim body as he watched, captivated. Kili leaned into the gate and let his eyes wander over her...over the waves of her hair as it cascaded past her shoulders, down the gentle curves of her body's silhouette, down to the long, strong limbs, and delicate hands and feet. He felt a smile force its way on his face... then he finally remembered to breathe.

It was soon after that Kili saw the leader man-elf glance at him with distain, and then have slightly tense words with Tauriel. Kili could see the look Legolas gave the she elf; it was one of concern, but something more was there…This exchange was curious.

When Tauriel finally left his sight, Legolas looked towards Kili again with a warning, angry glare. Kili shrunk back into the shadows of his cell, and then settled himself down on the stone bench to mope.

He took out his rune stone, rubbing his fingers over the etched symbols as his mind mulled over these occurrences.

_A fine mess we are in now. How in Middle Earth are we to get to the mountain in time for the last light of autumn? _

_But I wonder…why did that elf catch my eye? She is an enemy, yet…I can't think of her as that...she saved me. Tauriel. She is a great warrior, that is easy to see. Yet, I cant deny it... she stirs me from within. Now can't think of anything else. Gods, I can't let my brother know what I am feeling. He would never let me live it down. 'Always letting your eyes wander where they shouldn't' he would say, I'm sure. In any case, I must treat her as an enemy, even if I feel differently. I can ignore it. _

Some time passed, and growing bored and restless, Kili started to toss the rune stone up in the air. Up and down, up and down, again and again. A movement on the stairs caught his eye. It was Tauriel, checking on her prisoners, strolling slowly from cell to cell. His breath caught in his chest and his mouth became dry…

* * *

><p>Tauriel walked down the stairs, away from the rude little dwarf, a little put out by the insinuation he just made. But despite herself, she was amused at the brief exchange. The young dwarf had the audacity to try and make a joke in these circumstances; that in itself showed some degree of bravery, or was it stupidity? Tauriel smirked. Whatever it was, he intrigued her. Thinking on it further, this dwarf did not seem to have the deep hatred for her that the others seemed to emit. A small smile played upon her lips.<p>

Tauriel had her eye on this particular dwarf ever since they were in the forest. When descending on their invaders, she heard a yell and she rushed towards the call. She observed the young dwarf from the canopy for a second or two; he fought valiantly against the giant spiders but was unfamiliar with their weaknesses and wasted his efforts. When she saw him lose his weapon, she knew he was in trouble so she rushed in to save him. Ever since then, he was quiet, shyly avoiding her gaze. Until now.

Legolas stood before her looking somewhat perturbed. He addressed her in a low voice in elvish.

"_Why does the dwarf stare at you_?" He said. She looked back at Legolas with a questioning gaze. Was that …jealousy she was witnessing?

Legolas was right, though. No one in Mirkwood stared at her like the dwarf did. She was in a military world, and excelled in it. The other soldier elves treated her with a mix of fear and respect. Only Legolas dared to smile at her and treated her with a calm camaraderie, a familiarity born from their many years together as…partners? Friends?

"_Who can say_?" she said, making light of it, the female within in her a little intrigued by the idea that this young dwarf had been staring at her.

Tauriel had not failed to notice the dwarf's intense expressions, his wavy, dark locks and his warm, tan skin. He seemed so unlike many of the others. His face was not hidden by the long, bushy beards seen on many of his companions. He had only a shadow of a beard that revealed his slim, strong face and relatively angular features, which probably meant he was quite young, a fraction of her age, no doubt. He was taller, and his features also seemed more refined in comparison to most of his companions. And his eyes were dark and wide, warm and soft. And staring at her.

"_He is quite tall for a dwarf_…" she said, a little wistfully. Then she stopped herself in the midst of her wondering. "_Don't you think_?" she asked Legolas, before practically running down the stairs.

"_Taller than some, but no less ugly_…" Legolas growled after her, no doubt so that the dwarf could hear his tone as well.

Jealousy it was. But Tauriel just could not agree with her prince's assessment… No doubt the young dwarf would be considered handsome, by dwarf standards. And, surprisingly, by hers as well.

* * *

><p>Kili tossed his stone up and down, taking a moment to glance at the guard advancing slowly. Tauriel wafted by his cell, and unbelievably, she stopped, turned, and addressed him.<p>

"The stone in your hand, what is it?" She asked. Gentle curiosity fluttered over her face. Kili, intent on trying to hate her, like he knew he should, answered.

"A talisman" Kili replied, in a low voice, trying to be menacing. "A powerful spell lies upon it if any but a dwarf reads the runes upon this stone—they will be forever cursed!" He said, holding it up with a hard stare. She looked taken aback, even a little hurt, and then she turned to leave.

Kili had fully expected her to refute him. His heart sank. Oh no…this was not going at all the way he wanted it to.

"Or not…" Kili said, quickly. Tauriel stopped and turned her head towards him, her face still upset. Kili immediately let down his feigned defenses. He would do anything to keep the she-elf near. "Depending on if you believe that kind of thing. It is just a token." He said, with a gentle smile.

Tauriel responded beautifully, her eyes and face changing into slight confusion, then her expression relaxed, a small smile coming to rest on her lips. She turned to face him. Kili's heart skipped a beat. There was no way he could hate this she-elf. He decided to continue.

"My mother gave it to me so I would remember my promise." He threw up the stone again after glancing at her, happy at seeing her fully engaged. Tauriel approached just a bit.

"What promise?" she asked softly, her voice more feminine than it had yet been.

"That I would come back to her…" he smiled. "She worries. She thinks I am reckless." he continued. A coy smile played on Tauriel's lips, as her eyes met his.

_Oh heavens. I know I should be thinking about how to attack her, or something, but…I cannot. _

"Are you?" she asked.

"Nah…" Kili responded, with a smile. Just then, he faltered, and the rune stone fell on the ground, skittering towards the edge. In a quick motion, Tauriel stepped on the stone, preventing it from falling further into the darkness below. She held it up to the light, negating his previous threat of her turning to stone. He stood up, closer to the gate. She turned back to him.

"Sounds like quite a party you are having up there…" Kili said, urging the conversation forth.

* * *

><p>Tauriel smiled. A real, relaxed smile, for the first time in a long time. She felt the warmth permeate her, flow over her body as she gazed on the face of the young dwarf. Yes, he must be young. Young and flirtatious. But she did not care about that at the moment, as well as the other obvious differences between them. She was basking in the glow of this unexpected, stimulating exchange. He urgently wanted to communicate with her, that was clear, so it was a good thing he had given up on the rude teasing.<p>

"It is Mereth Nuin Galiath, the feast of starlight." She answered. He was listening intently, eyes inquisitive as she stepped away from him. "All light is sacred to the Elda. What wood elves love best is the light of the stars." When she looked back at him, he was pensive.

"I always thought it was a cold light; remote and far away." He said, with a curious expression she could not place. Tauriel had to disagree.

"It is memory. Precious and pure." She said, looking down at the rune stone. "Like your promise." She handed him back his stone, and his warm fingers brushed her palm. She felt something stir within her.

_Why do I feel so comfortable with him? He is a prisoner, yet I feel more at ease in his presence than with anyone else here. Well, almost anyone. How curious...he must be quite a special dwarf._

Tauriel felt the burning need to share something special with the young dwarf, something she didn't get the chance to, often.

"I have walked there sometimes. Beyond the forest and up into the night. I have seen the world fall away and the white light of forever fill the air." She said, walking away, looking up.

"I saw a fire moon once. It rose over the pass near Dunland…Huge! Red and gold it was, it filled the sky. We were an escort for some merchants from Ered Luin. They were trading in silverwork for furs…"

Tauriel approached closer, as the dwarf went on talking, sitting down on a nearby step so she could be at his eye level. She was listening to his words, the sound of his low, textured voice, getting engrossed in the details of his story. She took him all in; his relaxed stance, the expressions changing on in his face as he spoke. This dwarf had an easy going, jovial way about him that she found disarming. His eyes were dark, yet so warm, full of energy and life. The smile he gave in response to her own was, in a word, sweet.

And the way he looked at her when she spoke: it was not the cold, harsh gaze of the King or her subordinates, or the leering glare she sometimes got from others who soon were sorry for making that mistake. It was a look of wonder and… longing? Nowhere in his eyes was there the hatred so well-known between their two peoples.

"We took the greenway south keeping the mountain to our left and then it appeared. This huge fire moon, lighting our path. I wish I could show you the caverns that were there, they were just astounding!" he said, finally finishing his tale. She nodded. He sounded so sincere.

"I am sure they were. I would like to see them." She said, with a smirk. He smiled widely. "You have traveled far, and seen many things, have you?" She asked, leaning forward. Tauriel yearned for the freedom outside of the forest; she cared about the world outside their realm, unlike her King. The dwarf nodded, his brows raising a bit.

"Oh yes, a good many places and things. And you?" He asked, inviting her to share. Tauriel's expression saddened slightly, and she sat back. The dwarf looked on, his relaxed expression reacting to hers, concern drifting into his gaze

"No. I have not ventured beyond our forest." She sighed. The young dwarf let a bit of surprise flit over his expression. He pursed his lips.

"You should ...one day." he said, his eyes widening with sincerity. He continued talking softly. "Ever since I was able, we traveled over many lands, mainly to the west of the Misty Mountains." He looked down a bit, his brows knitting. "It was tedious at times, difficult on occasion, and perilous sometimes, but it was still well worth the effort."

"I am sure it was." Tauriel said, wistfully. He gazed at her, as if lost in thought for a moment.

"One must always keep their wits about them, their eyes ever open on the road, though." he warned.

"Why is that?" she asked, a glint of curiosity coming over her.

"You never know when you will come face to face with something so dangerous as to threaten your life...or so beautiful as to steal your breath..." he said, his eyes blinking slowly, his face changing to a more serious expression as he looked at her. She could practically feel his eyes tracing her face. Then he looked away quickly. "I mean...such as the fire moon, or your stars." He said, a bit tenative, looking back at her again. Tauriel pulled in a small breath, feeling a warmth rise to her cheeks. She finally remembered her manners.

"What is your name?" she asked, softly. His eyes met hers again, and his head turned sideways slightly, as if surprised at the question.

"I am Kili…of the House of Durin." He replied, with quiet pride. With the small smile, his expression was quite fetching.

"I am Tauriel." She returned.

She felt she should forgo her official title. It would remind them of their actual circumstances as foes. As it was, the tone of their exchange practically made the bars of his cell disappear.

"I know." Kili said, looking into her eyes, with a little smile. Then he looked away, as if embarrassed. "I…heard him call you that, so…I guessed it was your name." He explained.

"Whom did you hear calling my name?" she asked.

"The blonde one... " Kili said, his face becoming serious. She blinked quickly.

This young dwarf, Kili, was quite observant.

"Oh." She said, sitting up straight, her voice dropping, becoming serious as well. "That was Legolas, the prince." Kili's shoulders dropped, his head rose up, eyebrows raised, as if in surprise, and then he pushed his lips together and nodded. He averted his eyes.

"He seems to really hate us…" he continued, his low voice intense. His eyes snapped back to meet hers. "And he is quite…concerned about you." he added.

Quite observant indeed.

Tauriel heard the unspoken question, saw it in the intensity of his eyes, but Kili did not ask it: what was Legolas to her? Tauriel, herself, was unsure of the answer to that one…

"Tauriel…" a familiar voice shattered the silence. She nearly jumped at the sound of his voice voice echoing off the cold, wet walls. She stood up and spun her head around.

Legolas was standing on a ledge, several levels above her, his handsome face in a mildly disapproving scowl. She wondered how long he had been there, observing.

"_You are missing the celebration_…" he said, in elvish, his eyes intense. She was missed by him, she assumed. She then turned her body to face Legolas and crossed her arms.

"_I will be there in a few moments, my lord_." She said, a little insistently. Legolas glared towards the cell, then back at her, his eyes hardening, pursing his lips. She tilted her head and returned the hard stare.

"_Very well_." he said, turning to leave, decidedly in a slight huff. Tauriel turned back around to face Kili, who was looking up at Legolas with mistrust. His eyes fell back upon her again, softening.

"Duty calls." Kili remarked, a single brow lifting, his low voice tinged with a little bitterness. He looked down, and seemed to remember their particular situation as he put his hands up against the bars of his cell.

"So it does." Tauriel sighed, disappointed the magical moment she and the dwarf had shared was at an end. Their eyes locked, and they stared at each other for a few quiet moments. She managed a little smile, her eyes soft.

"Goodbye, Kili." She said.

"Goodbye, Tauriel." Kili said, his low voice now a little sad. He backed away from the low light into the shadows of the cell.

Captive and captor again, Tauriel turned slowly, and walked up the stairs away from Kili, back to join her own kin. Yet within her mind, she was worlds more confused than ever before. She would have to rethink everything she was ever told about dwarves…


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Yes, I know I am messing around a little with the order the scenes as they were presented in the movie, don't kill me. I have my reasons, and, I hope you forgive me…

* * *

><p>Chapter 2<p>

Tauriel glanced downstairs, and heard the men talking. She decided to take a small detour past the storeroom to listen in.

"You should have had these barrels sent down the river long ago. The bargeman will be waiting for them." One of the elves said.

"We need more drink!" She heard another say. "Their thirst is great upstairs tonight. Even the dwarves in the dungeon can hear the festivities." Taurielsmiled to herself. That was true…

"Think what you want of our ill-tempered king. At least he has excellent taste in wine. …"

If they only knew she was listening. She knit her brows and left, heading back up to the top of the caverns, towards the king's throne room. She would not tell Thranduil what she heard. She sighed to herself.

These men did respect their king, but many did not like him. They just saw the cold, harsh, stern ruler that led with an iron fist. If only these men knew him when he was just a little younger, like she did, before he became as isolationist as he was now. It was then he earned her undying respect and fealty. Despite what they thought, he did have a heart…

Tauriel remembered meeting him clearly. She barely recollected her life before then; and like most things, it was probably better that way. Tauriel paused at the entrance to the throne room, leaning against the living wall.

She remembered the day, vaguely, as being a nice one. Her parents had taken their young, energetic elfling out for a long stroll, wandering the edges of the forest. She skipped away, crawling under some bushes to grab some sweet looking berries that were hanging low. She gathered up a few and plunked herself down, eating them, smiling to herself.

"Tauriel? Tauriel! She heard her mother say, with urgency. Tauriel peeked out from the bush and looked into her mother's frightened eyes.

"Moma?" she said, remembering becoming instantly scared.

"Stay there child! Hide yourself! Whatever happens, be silent!" her mother said, quickly, in a whisper.

Tauriel saw the sword in her mother's hand and heard her father call out for her. Tauriel obeyed and crawled back under the bush, shaking, terrified. It all happened so fast… she heard clashes of metal, and heard the grunts and squeals of monsters. And then she heard the screams of her mother…then her father… then the forbidding evil cackle of something wretched and sinister.

She froze and could barely breathe, in shock. She strained to look through the thick branches before her as the grey-black beasts walked past her, not seeing her. Tauriel's heart broke within her. She hugged her knees tightly and the silent tears started to stream down her face. She could not move, paralyzed, terrified, alone in her little hidden refuge below the bushes…

She did not know how much later it was when she heard voices. Elven voices. The woods were shadowy and dark.

"Here! I found another one…oh my gods…" she vaguely heard one of them say. "He is coming this way…we must show him what they have done…"

"What else have you found…Oh no…" she heard. It was the voice she now knew as King Thranduil. She remembered hearing the pain in those few words he spoke. Then she heard an exasperated cry and a metallic scrape she now knew too well…the unsheathing of a sword. She crouched down and crawled towards the opening.

"Where are those beasts! I will tear them limb from limb for what they have done…" she heard him say, his voice cracking and full of emotion. Through the thick branches, she saw him striding her way, wildly enflamed. She blinked, wide eyed as she saw the tall, stunning elf turning around, searching. He looked around him intently, brandishing a long, silvery shimmering sword, as handsome and powerful as the elf who held it.

She remembered, as that child in the bush, she was in awe, but not scared, of the splendid warrior she saw before her. He was in a rich brown and gold long vestment, one that flowed magnificently as he moved. A thin, low band of sparkling diamonds went to a point on his forehead, and curved over the silver-blonde hair that wafted around his shoulders. As he turned, his angry, steel grey eyes, so imposing below strong, dark eyebrows glared all around. Soldiers appeared beside and behind him.

"It would be a good day and not soon enough when the last putrid bit of blood of those demons is spilt." He growled. "How dare they trample my woods…"

"I am afraid the orks are long gone, my lord." One of the Elf soldiers said. "The elven couple are long dead." Thranduil stood up, the tight hold on his sword making his knuckles turn white. He was breathing heavily with anger.

"There is still something lurking about. I can sense it…" he said, looking from tree to tree with furrowed brows. The king's sensitive ears heard little Tauriel as she moved. His head whipped around and his eyes focused where she was. There was a flash of anger as he rushed towards the bush, then confusion floated over his eyes.

Tauriel did not even know she had let out a pitiful little whimper.

"My gods…"Thranduil said, stopping short. She saw him sheath his weapon and hand it to one of the guards. Then he slowly approached the bush she was in. She saw him blink rapidly, emotions fluttering over his face… then she saw his eyes become soft, and his pale lips formed a thin line.

"My lord?" said one of the guards.

"Shush!" Thranduil said, a warning command to the guard. It made her jump and the bush above her quiver.

"Hush, youngling. There is no need to hide anymore. Come on out. It is safe. I won't hurt you…" he said, his voice low and gentle. "Come…" he pleaded softly. A trembling little Tauriel slowly crawled out of the bush, much to the amazement of the guards surrounding them. She heard gasps all around her. The poor little elfling, she heard them say.

Despite all of that distraction, she was captivated by the powerful face and the pale grey eyes of the fantastic man in front her, who was now kneeling down. "Come on…" he said, his eyes softening as she walked from the tight vegetation to his waiting hand. She reached out and held onto the long, strong fingers. Approaching him slowly, she sniffled and wiped her eyes. He touched her hair gently, pulled out some leaves, and smoothed it. She was mesmerized by the beautiful, striking, light grey orbs…yet she saw great gentleness in those eyes.

"Oh, little one." He murmered, his hands brushing off her clothing gently. " Are you hurt?" he asked, sweetly, sadly. She shook her head no. "Are you scared?" She nodded. To the shock of the soldiers around him, Thranduil pulled the she-elfling towards him and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her up into his arms, resting her head on his shoulders. She remembered instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his body as he embraced her young form. He held her with the familiar warmth, strength and tenderness of a father, the father he already was to Legolas, who was then nearly fully grown and too big to hold like that anymore.

"It's alright, little one. You are safe now." His low voice echoed through her. He kissed her gently on her forehead. It was then that her little body broke down and she started to weep, sobbing uncontrollably against the splendid vestments of this man, the man she later found out was King Thranduil.

He refused to let her go, and much to the dismay of his guards, walked all the way back to the castle with her in his arms, talking with her gently, and promising solemnly that she would be safe, never want for anything, and that her he would take care of her forever…Elflings were a precious, precious treasure.

Tauriel today recalled the gentleness in that voice with a pang in her heart, because she remembered it so well, but rarely heard it these days. Back in the present, Tauriel put her hand to her lips, remembering with sadness those early, happy days, when the king used to make her feel special, when she grew up with Legolas beside her, always a little playfully jealous of the attention she was receiving. But that was not what it was like these days…

"I know you are there. Why do you linger in the shadows?" She heard the low voice of the King address her. Tauriel ran down the stairs and entered his presence. She glanced at him, with that little gasp she always did. She never could control it. Thranduil was always breathtaking to her, even after all these years.

"I was coming to report to you." she said, confidently.

"I thought I ordered that nest destroyed not two moons past…" He said, his eyes hard and accusing.

"We cleared the forest as ordered, my lord, but more spiders keep coming up from the south. They are spawning in the ruins of Dol Guldor. If we could kill them, at their source…" Tauriel retorted, a little irritated.

"That fortress lies beyond our borders. Keep our lands clear of those foul creatures, that is your task." Thranduil said, cutting her off. She started to pace back and forth, frustrated.

"And when we drive them off, what then? Will they not spread to other lands?"

This was a constant conflict between the king and the captain of his guard. He constantly shunned outside involvement, and pulled within, she looked out, beyond their borders for the solutions she felt they would need.

"Other lands are not my concern…" he said, breathy and insistently. Thranduil turned around slowly. "The fortunes of the world will rise and fall, but here, in this kingdom, we will endure." Thranduil looked towards the stairs…as if he had heard something. Tauriel sighed. That was all she would bother to say about the matter, lest she anger him. She turned to leave.

"Legolas said you fought well today." Thranduil said suddenly. His tone had changed. Tauriel lifted her head. It was not her commanding king speaking anymore. She looked back at him, trying to decipher his expression; it was quizzical, maybe a touch patronizing. "He has grown rather fond of you." Tauriel blinked in amazement.

"I assure you my lord…Legolas thinks no more of me than a captain of the guard." She insisted, even though, within, she was a bit elated; and knew better. Yet she was still so confused. This subject…discussing it with his father…this was awkward, in the least…

"Perhaps he did once. Now, I'm not so sure…" he said, in an accusatory tone, walking behind her, out of view. She breathed in hard.

"I…do not think you would allow your son to pledge himself to a lowly Sylvan elf."

"No. You are right. I would not." Tauriel let her head fall. His subtle, degrading dismissal stung. "Still… he cares about you." Tauriel held her breath. "Do not give him hope where there is none." Thranduil said, his back to her. Tauriel looked up, her mind reeling. Now she understood why the king wanted to speak to her about this. She started to leave, her heart aching.

"Tauriel." He said, again, his voice smooth. Tauriel stopped short.

"Yes, my lord." She said, her voice bitter, shaking. She turned around slowly, her feelings still tender.

"Please realize, little one, I do think highly of you." his low voice gentle.

Thranduil called her 'little one' when she was a child. Now, however sweet it sounded, it cut into her. Tauriel kept her eyes averted from his glance. She could feel him looking at her.

"Do not take my questioning as a lack of trust. You have indeed become one of our best." He said, walking up to her slowly. "I knew you would be, from the time I found you. You have made me proud." He said. She kept her eyes down, unable to meet his. She did not know quite how to take his complements, so soon delivered after his other orders. That she should not let Legolas fall for her because she was not worthy.

"Thank you, my lord." She said, almost in a whisper. Her eyes rose to meet his. He was close to her now. His eyes had softened; to something like the time in the woods. Maybe he had realized just how much his words had hurt.

"May I ask a question?" Tauriel inquired. Thranduil's head tilted to the side, and he moved away with that flowing, catlike mannerism.

"Of course." He replied, although his tone was cautionary.

"What will become of the dwarves we captured today?" She asked, feeling this was the most appropriate time to ask, when he was a little more open to her. Under the magnificent wooden carved crown, Thranduil's dark eyebrow raised, and he observed her again with those piercing grey eyes, softened with curiosity.

"Their fate unfortunately lies in the hands of their leader." He said, turning around, his exquisiteochre vestment flowing around as he moved. His grand head lowered. His hand moved over to grasp a crystal glass with burgundy wine. "Thorin is of the house of Durin, the next rightful heir in a line of Dwarf Kings who ruled Erebor in its time of greatness. Yet I feel he too will fall prey to the same weaknesses that caused their downfall." Thranduil said, with a faraway look.

"I thought they were overcome by the Dragon Smaug...as was Dale…and by orks" Tauriel said, an automatic snarl forming on her lips at the mention of orks. She hated orks, reasonably so. She stiffened when Thranduil looked at her harshly while taking a sip from his glass.

"They suffer from stubbornness, pride, and greed." He said sharply. "It was his grandfather who cheated and denied us what was rightfully ours. If you ask them, it is we who wronged them. But it is Thorin who now refuses to forge a new agreement…" he snapped. "They will never change." He sighed.

"They are not all like that." She said softly, the memory of her conversation with the young dwarf fresh in her mind. He was of the line of Durin... Thranduil turned around swiftly.

"Do not let them fool you. When surrounded by treasure, they are strongly affected; they hoard gold, and isolate themselves away from all other Peoples, thinking their riches will save them from everything. They suffer greatly from an illness of the mind in that regard...They are all the same." He said, waving his hand. Tauriel looked down, and shook her head slowly; she could not help but to see the parallels…

"Maybe dwarves feel thusly, that all elves are the same. But they are wrong about that. Not all elves are equal. Are they, my lord?" She said sternly. A second later, Tauriel looked up, into her King's piercing eyes. He glared at her. For a second, she was afraid his gaze slice would slice her in two.

"I am sorry, my lord." She said. She looked down, practically shrinking beneath his gaze.

"For what are you sorry?" He spat.

"I misspoke, my lord." Tauriel said, softly, looking at him with trepidation.

Thranduil seethed for a moment, and then he closed his eyes and shook his head. He sighed, relaxed visibly, brought his shoulders down. He turned back to face her, his expression one of reticence. Tauriel was amazed by the transformation.

"Do not be sorry for speaking your mind in my presence, Tauriel." He said. "I may not always like what you may say," He said, his eyes glued on hers, "but it is still good for me to hear it. Good day, Tauriel." He said, dismissively, walking away.

"Yes, my lord." Tauriel breathed a sigh of relief, quickly taking her leave.

Thranduil looked out over his beloved kingdom with a heavy sigh. He closed his eyes and shook his head, the distinct, old, yet unfortunately familiar feeling of dread awakening within him.

* * *

><p>Legolas stood among some of the finest fighters in the hall, all jubilant because of the festival. He looked at each one, now with a small smile on his face. Even on such occasions, he knew he could not let his guard down completely. He was their field leader. He had to act in a way suitable to his stature; at all times. Like his father, Legolas had developed a reputation for being serious and no-nonsense, yet fair and capable in command. He had fought many a year to become the warrior he was; he did not will the fact that he was the Prince give him any leeway. He wanted to earn his position, from the very first day. He had become the best fighter in their land, deadly and strong, and respected by those beneath him for his skill.<p>

Even though they had prisoners now, which was entirely unexpected, he still thought it was safe enough to leave them largely unguarded. He did feel his blood boil at the sight of his people's enemies on his land, the Dwarfs. For him it was a learned vengeance, nothing personal. Thorin and some of the older dwarves seemed to have the hatred of elves deep in their hearts; for them it was personal. He could see it in their eyes; hear it in the words Thorin and his father exchanged earlier. Deep, dark wounds were carved into their hearts.

Legolas did not really quite understand the rivalry. These dwarves were on a mission through their woods, not looking for a fight. They were, relatively speaking, not as difficult to deal with as the spider monsters and orks that were blighting their woods, but a problem nonetheless. His brows knit as he remembered what Tauriel had said in the forest, that the spiders, the evil was becoming more bold. He did feel it too, a foreboding, that something was not quite right in their land, and possibly, all of Middle Earth. But his father, King Thranduil did not feel the need to become connected with the rest of the land; he was content to remain hidden away in their woodland sanctuary. Legolas sighed; he respected his father, but maybe not all his decisions.

Ah, there she was; the best of his fighters. Tauriel. He was relieved she finally took leave of those smelly dwarves. That little young one, the one with no beard, irked him in particular. Tauriel walked up quietly into the hall where the revelers were already becoming quite tipsy. She strolled by, smiling at a few friendly faces. Legolas looked at her for a few minutes; her eyes soft, and delicate features smiling at all around her; she was wearing a long, dark green tunic that allowed some her feminine attributes to show, yet allowed her the movement necessary for fighting. Her long red hair framed a stoic face, one that, when a smile graced it, could melt his coldness. It was not often that he looked at his Captain this way.

Legolas had witnessed her rise all the way; taught her swordsmanship and her skill with the bow. He laughed within, remembering how, during training, he would have to physically extract a young, overactive Tauriel off of the other trainees during hand to hand battle. Within that slender body was strength and deadly grace and a fierceness that could not be taught; an aggression that rivaled a thousand orks. He had to teach her how to hone that aggression, turn it into a tool, focus it into a strength. Recently, she had been catching his eye for other reasons, he was finding her more and more…attractive. She was a warrior elf; not one fit for paring, his father once told him. His father was one for formalities; he…not so much. Legolas, deep within himself, believed he may have to disagree with his father on this, too. He had no intention on being married off for statesmanship sake at one point. Legolas walked slowly towards her; his emotions had changed, he was less bothered than he had been in the dungeon.

"Good to see you up here so soon, Captain." He said, eyeing her. She smiled and nodded her head towards him, the only show of reverence he would tolerate from her.

"My Prince." She said softly, walking by his side slowly. They fell into an easy cadence; one that came from spending much time together. They often fought side by side, working off of each others' moves so they knew each other's ways well.

"You did well today, Tauriel." He said, turning towards her, his face beaming with pride.

"Thank you." She said, flashing him a bemused smile. She looked into his clear blue eyes, the strong, devastatingly handsome high elf features. He smiled back, leading her before him. She sighed to herself, remembering the discussion with his father… _Do not let him have hope where there is none._

"So…" he said, strolling with her through the hall. "What were you talking about with that ugly little dwarf?"

"You mean Kili. He was asking about the party up here." She said, looking at him with innocence in her eyes, ignoring his assessment. Legolas did not need to know the full extent of their conversation. "So I was teaching him a bit about Elda festivals of light. And he was talking on his journeys…" she continued. Legolas let out a choked laugh. Tauriel stared at him, puzzled.

"Oh Tauriel…I don't know how you could stand it…." he said, trying not to laugh, and he put his hand on her shoulder. "I bet you didn't even realize…"

"What didn't I realize?" She asked, stopping short.

"The little imp was…well…he seems to have taken a liking to you." Legolas said, his smile fading. "The way that he was talking with you… How…strange it must have felt." Tauriel looked into his eyes, trying to understand why this amused him so much…

"And what of it?" she said, looking at him pointedly, walking right by him. His expression became serious. He caught up to her.

"He is our prisoner. And a dwarf. He travels with Thorin, our enemy." He said, growing incredulous.

"He does not seem willing to hate blindly. And he is too young to remember old quarrels." She said, crossing her arms. "The dwarf spoke to me with kindness and treated me like a person. Nothing more, nothing less." She said.

"Do not let him get any ideas, Tauriel." Legolas said. "He is probably just trying to get you to set him free." Tauriel turned around and looked at him harshly.

"I cannot be manipulated that easily, Legolas." She said, sharply.

"I know…" Legolas said. "I am just…I would not like your good nature to be abused." He said, trying his best not to inflame her more. Her shoulders relaxed.

"Thank you, but I am capable of taking care of myself in that regard…" she said, with a slight smirk. "Besides, I don't think he had any such intensions." She said, strolling away.

"I must disagree." Legolas said to himself, under his breath.

* * *

><p>Kili looked towards the door of the cell, his prison wrapping itself around him once more as Tauriel took her leave. He groaned to himself in frustration.<p>

_Well that encounter was…interesting indeed. Ahh, Tauriel. In just a few minutes, she has successfully turned my world upside down. I can't go losing my heart to every beautiful elf that graces me with a glance. She was just being kind; she brought herself down here to check on her prisoners, and she just happened to talk to you. How could you believe there could be anything beyond that? _

_ Wow. But why did she stop to speak to me? And stay? I don't know. But yes, there is something between Tauriel and the one called Legolas the prince… But what? And should I really care?_

Kili leaned back and sighed. Now he knew he would never get the warrior-elf out of his mind. He held onto the little stone she had given back to him and held it between his fingers.

_Starlight...cold and distant…except when it is warm and near; but yet still infinitely unobtainable._

Hushed, urgent whispering caught his ears and he rushed to the gate. He looked towards the other wall from him and saw Bilbo fumbling with keys at Thorin's cell…Kili smiled excitedly; never was he so happy that they had a burglar in their midst. They all exited out and silently gathered on the stairs…

"Not that way, down here, follow me!" Bilbo said. They walked down, down, down into a room, they all were quiet as they all looked at two elves, drunk and snoring…

"I don't believe it! We are in the cellars!" Kili said, exasperated.

"You are supposed to be leading us out, not farther in!" Bofur growled.

"Shush! I know what I am doing!" Bilbo said, leading them into the barrel room.

"Everyone, now, climb into the barrels, quickly!"

"What? Are you mad? They are going to find us!" Dwalin said…

"No they wont, I promise you!" Bilbo insisted."Please, please, you must trust me!"

They all grumbled. Exasparated, Bilbo turned to Thorin. Everyone looked to Thorin…

"Do as he says." Thorin ordered. Barreled dwarves it was…One by one they worked themselves into the barrels.

As the dwarves grumbled and moaned about their predicament, Kili looked wistfully upwards, torn a bit inside. He could not help but wonder if he would ever see her again…Tauriel.

"Well, what do we do now?" Bofur asked…everone poked out their head. Bilbo looked at them seriously.

"Hold your breath…". Bilbo shushed them and pulled a lever.

The floor dropped out beneath them, and Kili squeezed his eyes shut, tightly as they rolled, and rolled and rolled…It was a loud and noisy ride, down the chute and out to the river. Kili thought his world would never stop turning, long after the barrels were dumped from the chute into the raging whitewater. Kili stuck his head out and stared at the churning water, happy there was wood between him and the razor sharp rocks. They all grabbed each other and waited impatiently for Bilbo…

Bilbo finally dropped from the chute, flat on his back. He bobbed up, disoriented. He was grabbed at by several strong arms…

"Well done, Master Baggins " said Thorin.

They saw daylight, finally. As they ambled along, Kili, one of youngest of the dwarves on the expedition actually found some fun in the perilous river jouney. He and his brother glanced off and jostled towards each other, forever trying to make light of each situation.

With the river gates open ahead, Kili allowed himself a second to become hopeful. Then heard elves shout out from the castle, signaling to the gate keepers downstream. He saw the gates over the river starting to close.

Groaning, he looked to his right and left and saw the hulking, brutish creatures running along the riverbanks, crawling like large, hideous insects along the shoreline, and then he heard the dreadfully familiar low growls…Orks! He looked at them incredulously.

Sitting in a cell in the Mirkwood elf castle, waiting for a red-haired she elf warrior to come and talk to him again was sounding like an extremely good idea at this point…

But Kili and his kinsmen were caught between the raging waters and the Orks with no weapons in hand, with warrior wood elves hot on their trail; what a fine, fine mess.

Kili felt his heart sink like a stone beneath the raging waters…


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note: **

**Thank you all for the reviews and follows, Fiftyfantasies, popshows, mjg43, Louphiathehobbit, flynalien, midnighttales…. mwah for all the love, Y'all. And yeah, you will be seeing lots o' everyone and pairings will become apparent soon…And I am lovin' my man Thranduil…**

**I will try to follow the storyline of the original hobbit since info on the third movie is scarce, but it is tough when the characters you are writing about are not in the original book, or are barely mentioned. That's ok. I have an overactive imagination and am not yet out of DOS... **

**I shall try to update about every two weeks or so while the plotlines and dialogue are coming fast and strong. Damn. I have other work to do...ugh.**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Tauriel and Legolas ran towards the river after ordering the signal to close the gates; already the Orks were crawling around and over the rise. Where there attention was first given to the barrels bobbling down the river with their escaped prisoners, their deadly force was now focused on their mutual enemy; with Orks present, neither dwarf nor elf would bother fighting each other.<p>

An anger welled up in Tauriel. She hated orks. In the river, she saw the barrels filled with dwarves, the stupid creatures on the banks trying to get to them. The barrels were now in a jam, stopped by the gate that the guard elves closed. She saw one of the dwarves jump out, his dwarf brethren were helping him as he evaded then engaged a burly, clumsy, ork. He grabbed the orks weapon and began using it against several orks around him, clearing his way to the top of the gate. He was going for the lever to open the gate…Tauriel sucked in a breath…it was Kili.

A second later, she saw him stop short as an arrow hit him in the leg, just above his knee…he fell to the ground, writhing in pain. A pang of fear hit her chest. She smoothly pulled back her bow, taking aim at the ork now threatening Kili. The exquisitely aimed arrow felled her intended victim; she ran down to fights another group of orks.…Kili looked her way, breathing heavily. Their eyes came in contact for just a second. Tauriel continued to fight the orks surrounding her, all the while trying to keep an eye on the gate.

When she turned again, the gate had opened and the barrels were continuing down the river…She saw Kili half jump, half fall into a barrel beneath. Tauriel heard Kili cry out, and it ripped through her heart; she whipped around…he was in the barrel but looking awful…The last second she saw him, his face was a mask of pain…

She turned and engaged the remainder of the beasts around her, throwing one into the waters while gouging out the eyes of another with the end of her bow. She felt and heard the hulking beast behind; and unleashed her rage upon him.

* * *

><p>Kili had taken hits before, but never, ever did it hurt like this. The pain in his leg radiated throughout his body like a bolt of lightning and he could not move. He dropped back, falling down. A large ork loomed above him.<p>

Suddenly, a long arrow skewered the beast through the neck. Kili turned around to see where it came from and he just could not believe his eyes.

There she was…Tauriel, bow lowering, running, an intense expression on her face. It was the expression of control and skill and might he had seen before in the forest. Kili was surprised, but could not be terribly upset that she was making a habit of this; Tauriel had saved him again. The throbbing in his leg reminded his of his predicament and his mission and he scampered up, painfully, leg heavy like stone. He stretched up and used the rest of his strength to jump up and pull the lever. He forced it down and fell back on the bridge, panting with the effort. He had to get out of there; he looked over the edge…his brother was below him, holding on to his barrel.

"Kili!" Fili shouted, fighting against the roaring waters.

Kili jumped down, but at the last second, he remembered the shaft in his leg. Too late…as he entered the barrel, it yanked out violently, tearing skin and muscle and ramming into bone. The jolt of pain nearly made him loose consciousness. He screamed out…

* * *

><p>The pair of lethal elves cascaded down the mountain, keeping up with the barrels in the water and the onslaught of orks. Legolas and Tauriel ran ahead and slay any ork in their path, shooting their bows with toxic accuracy while on land, while jumping through the air. The dwarves, though stuck in their barrels, fought mightily as well, drowning orks, stealing their weapons, bowling them over with runaway barrels hopping on land, fighting valiantly all the while bobbling through whitewater, trying not to drown.<p>

Legolas was swift and accurate with his kills, jumping over hills or hopping on dwarf heads. They did not seem very happy about that but, well, he did not want to get wet. Legolas went up on a rise, and was delayed, engaging a rather large ork, which took a little more effort. The moment he felled it with a death blow, he heard a groan and a thud behind him. Legolas turned around to find another large ork behind him, a large hatchet buried in his chest…He looked to the river; Thorin was staring at him, his barrel moving him fast away through the waters. He looked back at the ork who nearly took his life.

The hatchet, Legolas realized, was the same that was in Thorin's hands not moments before. Legolas looked back to the river; they were gone. His brows knit;Thorin had saved his life, but why? Legolas grunted.

At any time during their capture, never did he turn deadly attention to the dwarves. As much as he threatened them with violence, he realized, the dwarves and elves did not really want to kill each other. There the relationship was a quiet aggression and quarrel rather than their shared and vehement hatred of evil creatures that only deserved death. He realized then how easy it was for them to ally against a common foe.

He heard an arrow ricochet through the air; Tauriel entered on the scene with a vengeance, taking out several orks before her in a single breath. The rest of the Orks continued along the river bank, save one who's throat was about to be slit by Tauriel's sharp blade…

"_Wait, Tauriel…this one we keep alive_…" he said, in elvish. Tauriel practically hissed…

Despite the fact that Tauriel wanted to chase down and kill every black blooded vile beast now crawling through their kingdom in search of the escaped dwarves, Legolas made her stop and return to Mirkwood castle with one of the beasts in tow.

Back in the King's throne room, Legolas had the Ork beast firmly in his grasp, knife pressed up against his neck yet the wretched, disgusting thing still writhed. All Tauriel could think of was wanting to see the ork in pain, beheaded, disemboweled…She could not stand the fact that its oozing skin was touching her Prince. She paced back and forth, the bitter bile threatening to crawl into her throat.

Legolas was controlled yet fierce and held the beast tightly. Tauriel paced impatiently on the other side of the room, at the ready. Thranduil walked around them, forever in control, stoic, unemotional, frigid towards their newest prisoner. Thranduil knew very well, if Tauriel had her hands on the ork, she would have killed it already.

"Such is the nature of evil. In the vast ignorance of the world it festers and spreads, a shadow that grows in the dark; a sleepless malice as black as the oncoming wall of night…" Thranduil spoke solemnly, as the younger elves listened. His words, ever carefully chosen, always echoed with meaning greater than the present, as if they too were as old and as wise as he. "So it ever was, so will it always be…in time all foul things come forth." He said, standing some distance behind the captive ork.

"You were tracking a company of 13 dwarves…Why?" Legolas asked the ork, having had just about enough of his father's ministrations. He spoke to it with way too much respect, Tauriel thought.

"Not thirteen…not anymore. " It said, as it focused its beady eyes on Tauriel, who turned around to face it, concern flitting across her face, revealing way too much. "The young one…the black haired archer…we struck him with a Morgul shaft. The poison is in his blood…he should be choking on it soon." the Ork snorted and cackled, staring right at Tauriel. She put a mask of anger on her face; but within, her heart felt as if it was seizing.

"Answer the question, filth." Tauriel ordered, at the edge of control.

"_I do not answer to dogs, she-elf!_" It spat in its vile tongue, bucking and pushing against Legolas, threatening to break free of his grasp. Legolas dug in the blade and held it down on its knees.

"I would not antagonize her." Legolas suggested, patronizingly.

"You like killing things, ork…" Tauriel snarled, provoking a growl from the retch, and Tauriel drew her blade. "You like death…"She was approaching it with knife unsheathed. "Then let me give it to you!" she rushed at the beast…

"_Enough_!" Thranduil shouted. Tauriel froze, just in time, her face close to the vile creature. "_Tauriel, Leave_." he ordered. She glared at the ork, teeth bared, shaking. "_Go now_." Thranduil said insistently. Thranduil looked at her with warning; he knew how little control she had in this situation, with Orks. The ork growled loudly at her.

It took all her power of restraint to not stab the cur in the chest. Legolas looked at her with a concerned glare as she stood up. She glanced hard at Thranduil as her face returned to the stony face of control, the face of the captain of the elven guard. She left the throne room rapidly.

"I do not care about one dead dwarf. Answer the question. You have nothing to fear…" she heard Thranduil continue to speak, his voice growing fainter the further she went.

Tauriel tried to put Thranduil's rebuke, and the memory of the vile ork out of her mind. But when she closed her eyes, all she could see was the warm, dark eyes of a young, dark haired archer. Unlike her king, Tauriel did care about one dwarf…Kili. And she did not want him dead.

Tauriel knew what she had done wrong. She had shown weakness to a prisoner during questioning. Thranduil had been looking at her, into her face, and had seen the moment of concern and outrage, as had the Ork. From that moment on, she was no longer useful during the interrogation, she was too heavily invested, and that Thranduil realized, long before she did.

She breathed heavily, staring about, throughout the shadowy realm, the living caverns of the Woodland Fortress. Thranduil's voice echoed all over as he continued the interrogation, as did his heavy presence, in this, his world, which he controlled skillfully, exclusively and emphatically. This was her home, her comfort and strength, but it was presently feeling more like a prison. From his soliloquy, she knew Thranduil felt the evil too. He knew it, yet would do nothing about it save to hide and lock his people behind closed doors, be on the defense while the forest around fell into ruin, and evil took hold of their land. This fact, above all, frustrated her to no end. She walked over two more of the long, thin walkways, and then paused for a minute and looked down to the dungeons, where the dwarves were but hours ago.

Tauriel knew full well what being hit by a Morgul shaft meant for any but an elf: an excruciatingly painful, slow death. She didn't want to let that happen to Kili. She had to try to save him, but how? Before she knew it, she went to her quarters, grabbed her bow and her knives. She headed for the large front gateway, renewed fire in her chest, intensified worry in her mind.

This, for her, was a moment of truth. Tauriel knew there was no turning back.

* * *

><p>The cries of the orks being left behind still echoed in the dwarfs' ears as the river's brisk whitewater finally gave way to a lazy, wide entry to the great lake before them. They were all there, all 14; it was a miracle they survived.<p>

"Do you see anything behind us?" Thorin asked.

"Not that I can see."

"I think we've outrun the orks" answered one of the brothers.

"Not for long…" Thorin warned.

Kili's head was pounding about as much as his leg was aching. He paddled his way closer to shore and was thrown forward on land. He crawled out of the barrel, unceremoniously dumping himself on the rocky shore. For a minute or so, he clung to the ground, and the stability it represented. He rolled over and looked around for Fili. His brother was helping one of the other dwarves out of their temporary round boat. He breathed some relief. At least his brother was unhurt. He pulled himself up and started to walk across the rocks when his leg punished him for his attempt. He groaned and fell down.

Only then did he look at his leg. The gaping wound was deep, bleeding, blackened at the edges. And it hurt, badly. He tried to clean it with a strip of cloth, but still it oozed. He grimaced and pressed it. Bofur looked at him with concern…

"I'm fine, it's nothing…" Kili said, gritting his teeth. Fili appeared before him, holding his shoulder.

"On your feet…" Thorin ordered, walking around like a beast in a cage…

"Kili's wounded. His leg needs binding…" Fili said.

"There is an ork pack on our tail. We keep moving…"

"To where?"

"To the mountain." said Bilbo, looking off to where the lonely mountain stood like a beacon. "We are so close…" Thorin, Bilbo and some of the other dwarves continued arguing about where and how to go. It seemed that their situation had not improved much…The brothers Durin conversed in hushed tones.

"Good god, man. When did you get this?" Fili whispered to Kili, looking at the awful wound.

"On the river gate." Kili groaned. "It's not that bad…" Kili said again. Despite his denial, Kili was fast realizing his wound was not 'nothing'. Kili leaned forward, his whole body hurting, and that confused him. Why should a wound on his leg make him feel this way?

Fili looked into his brother's eyes; Kili tried to look away, but Fili saw the pain on his face. Fili's brows knit and he started to rip a long strip from the edge of his waterlogged tunic. Bofur, who was watching, started to do the same. They worked quickly on the young dwarf. Thorin glanced at them, realizing the seriousness…

"Bind his leg quickly." Thorin said. "You have two minutes." Fili had already started wrapping his brother's leg, not intending to move just yet. He needed to care for his brother.

Just then, Kili noticed a tall man with a bow on a high rock. He was looking down and when Dwalin picked up a stick for defense, the man shot it. Despite his injury, with his fast instincts, Kili quickly grabbed a stone and aimed it at the man. The man had faster reflexes. He shot the stone out of Kili's hand and had another arrow at the ready within a second. Being an archer himself, Kili was begrudgingly impressed…

"Do that again and you're dead." The tall man warned. They all stood still, in shock. Kili looked at the tall man's quiver and automatically began counting arrows…there were not enough to take them all on, but with his exquisite aim, he would inflict significant damage before he ran out_. _

_His skills are similar to the wood elves. _Kili thought to himself.

Balin, ever the statesman, looked behind the man and saw opportunity.

"Excuse me. But…you're from Laketown, if I'm not mistaken…" he started. The lethal bow turned to him. Balin put his arms up. "That barge over there…that wouldn't be for hire would it, by any chance?" Balin continued.

Balin's calm words had the intended consequence. Bard the bowman, owner of the barge, lowered his weapon, looking at Balin with raised brow. The tension in the air began to dissipate. Balin, being one of the oldest, and most experienced of the group, was an excellent judge of character.

Balin analyzed the man, walking towards him slowly, taking note of the work-worn long coat, roughened boots, and shabby clothes that looked out of place on a man with a neat, grey-streaked beard and long hair that framed aristocratic features. The way he wielded his bow; this man was no simple hunter or boatman. And the man had a serious, intelligent, and honest face. Balin knew a good man when he saw one. He felt he had to make an attempt to avoid violence, before one of the other dwarves did something stupid.

Balin decided it was best to try his most effective weapon …diplomacy.

* * *

><p>Tauriel walked through the forest she knew well, following the river as it led out to the lake, her senses on alert, but her mind elsewhere. Her heart was heavy as she walked along, beyond the dead bodies of slain orks, past where they had last seen the dwarves as they disappeared down the stream. Behind her was all she knew, everyone she ever worshiped, followed and cared for. She arrived on the rocky outcropping on the bank of the river. She walked past blood spilt on the rock, looking out over the murmuring waters. No dwarves or barrels were in sight. She stood up straight, sensing it before hearing it...<p>

She whipped around, bow and arrow pulled taught. At the base of the rock, it was Legolas, with bow drawn, looking quite miffed…

"I thought you were an ork..." she said.

"If I were an ork, you would be dead, Tauriel."he warned. Both archers lowered their bows. Tauriel smirked.

"Actually, You were far too quiet to be an ork." She said, turning around, walking further on the rock, looking across the lake, the distant lonely mountain rising up in the blue sky…

"You cannot hunt 30 orks on your own."Legolas said, still angry, yet calming down. He always calmed down in her presence; unless they were killing something, of course.

"But I am not on my own." She said, looking back at him with a knowing grin.

"You knew I would come." Legolas said, with a warm smile. He approached her as she glanced into the distance, across the lake. He sighed. "The king is angry, Tauriel. For 600 years my father has protected you, favored you. You defied his orders, betrayed his trust…" She turned around and looked at him with a serious expression. He changed over to their eloquent, beautiful, elvish tongue "_Come back with me…he will forgive you_."

"_But I will not. If I go back, I will not forgive myself_." She answered, in the same manner. "The king has never let ork filth from our lands, yet he would let this ork pack cross our borders, and kill our prisoners…"

"It is not our fight." Legolas insisted.

"It is our fight." She countered. "It will not end here…with every victory, this evil will grow. If your father has his way, we will do nothing. We will hide within our walls, live our lives away from the light and let darkness descend. Are we not part of this world? Tell me, _Mehelon_, when did we let evil become stronger than us?" She asked.

Legolas looked at her intensely. All that she said was true, and her sentiments echoed with the same warning that the ork gave in the throne room, moments before his father chopped off its head. A great evil was growing stronger, and darker, threatening all in middle earth; the wood elves would not be safe forever, even in their woodland fortress. This fight against evil was bigger than these borders, and he did not become a warrior of his caliber to just stand to the side and watch the world burn. He looked towards the lake. Within his heart, Legolas knew she was right.

"I feel it too, Tauriel. We cannot allow that to happen." He said softly. "What will you to do?" he asked. She sighed, and looked his way.

"I intend to find these dwarves…and help them in their quest."

"Why?" he said, curiosity outweighing his disbelief.

"For too long has the treasure of the Lonely Mountain lain fallow underneath the slumber of a dragon, Legolas. Erabor, Dale, once vibrant and peaceful, rich and powerful, was destroyed, and the entire valley is suffering in poverty from the lack of those riches and the trade it spread throughout the land." She said, walking about on the uneven rock.

"What does that have to do with fighting this evil we speak of?" he said.

"If Thorin is successful, and does reclaim his kingdom, he will reunite the dwarves. It would behoove the wood elves to ally with them, to fight this oncoming storm of evil together." She said. "Man, elf and dwarf must stand together as one, if we intend to keep our land our own." Legolas crossed his arms.

"I see. You would on one hand deserter be, and on the other, the emissary be." He paced around.

"I will always be faithful to my King and his son, even if I do not agree with my Lord." she said, looking at him, pointedly. Legolas smiled.

"How do we know if they are concerned at all about this growing evil?"

"The threat will become difficult for any to ignore, the more the Orks plunder through everyone's land."

"I do not think they are aimless. They hunt for the head of Thorin. They do not want him to become king under the mountain." He said, recalling what the now dead ork said.

"Even more reason for us to join with the dwarves." She said. She walked up to the pier. "The barge is gone; as are the barrels. No doubt with our prisoners as well." She pursed her lips, looking over the lake. Legolas walked up to her slowly.

"Unless you plan on swimming to Laketown, the only way there is over land." He said, a little smile on his lips. "And the trip will take an inordinate length of time without a mount." She looked back at him. He whistled loudly. Tauriel smiled and crossed her arms. At least someone came prepared.

A large white horse appeared in response to the call, strolling up to Legalos, who greeted his steed warmly, whispering gentle elvish words to calm him. Tauriel stroked the fine neck of the horse, and looked sadly towards Legolas.

"_Legolas…I know that if I choose this path, I will have to pay for my actions. But ultimately, I only have to answer to myself. Yet the ties that bind you are powerful and deep. _" She said in elvish, acknowledging his position. He looked back at her.

"_I admire, love, and respect him Tauriel, but I am not my father_." Legolas said. The slight longing in his pale blue eyes made her heart twist painfully in her chest. "I must answer to my own set of principles as well."

"You do not have to come with me." She said, wanting to make sure he understood. It was not only the principles she spoke of that bid her follow the dwarves to Laketown. There was her growing worry about the fate of a young archer… In one swift move, Legolas mounted the horse.

"What? And miss the chance to hunt down those stupid, hideous creatures?" He quipped, with a twinkle in his eye and a smirk. "Never. And we also get the chance to kill more orks!" Tauriel crossed her arms, and looked at him with a smirk. She so disagreed with his assessment of the dwarves.

"Legolas…" she groaned. _ If he only knew something of my other reasons…_ she thought, warily. She shook her head and sighed, then grabbed his outstretched hand, mounting behind Legolas on the large horse. She held on to his slim hips, and they took off in a gallop, headed to the road around the lake leading to Laketown.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:**

Hello all, sorry for the wait, but I hope you will like what I have to offer. I continue to stick to cannon, as we try to march through DOS. I dont own any of the creatures, no compensation accepted, blah blah blah...

Here is some more of all of the company as well as our beloved three. Welcome to the new followers, and hello again to the old…Thank you for the reviews…flynalien, fiftyfantasies, plz.

AW

* * *

><p>Kili tried to hide his shivers as he looked on; they were soundlessly riding over the lake, a misty, cold body of water. There were blocks of ice in the water that scraped along the sides of the boat as they ambled along. The heaviness that was cast over the lake translated onto a distinct foreboding on the boat. Thorin stood on the side of the barge, looking out with a stoic expression through the thick fog.<p>

The closer they got to the mountain, the more ill-tempered and single-minded his uncle seemed to become, Kili felt. The bargeman stood at the rear of the barge, moving his ruder side to side…it was a slow ride through these frigid waters. Kili stared at the water, the coldness sinking into his bones.

"Watch out!" Bofur said, as a colossus of stone appeared like a giant before them.

The bargeman expertly maneuvered the boat to one side, then the other, not in the least bit disturbed by the pillars of stone within the water. They were in the midst of what appeared to be a sunken, old city, the stone columns like ghosts out of a nightmare. The boat swung around the large obstacles with ease, the bargeman moving the rudder degree by degree from memory, it seemed. Kili was certain this man had done this many times before. His face remained unchanged by the formidable dangers in the water, yet he was observing his living cargo with guarded curiosity.

"What are you trying to do, drown us?" Thorin said, accusingly.

"I was born and bred in these waters, Master Dwarf. If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here…" he replied. Kili looked over at Dwalin and the rest, who were none too pleased with his last statement. Kili knit his brows. Why were they acting this way? The dwarves were completely beholden to him, yet the other dwarves continued to grumble about the bargeman.

"I have had enough with this lippy Lakeman. I say we throw him over the side and be done with him." Dwalin grumbled.

"No, no, no. Bard, his name is Bard." Bilbo said, a little irritated, to the ungrateful bunch.

"How do you know?" Dwalin asked.

"Uh…I asked him." Bilbo replied. Sometimes the simplest way is the best, Kili thought; you did not need to be a clever hobbit to know that.

"I don't care what he calls himself, I don't like him." Dwalin muttered.

"You don't have to like him, we simply have to pay him. Come on now lads, turn out your pockets…" Balin said, trying to distract the rest.

"How do we know he won't betray us." Dwalin mused.

"We don't." Thorin answered.

"Um...it seems we have a problem." Balin said. "We are 10 coins short. " Thorin walked over to the company.

"Come on Gloin." He said, to the red-headed dwarf.

"Why are you looking at me? What have I gotten for my investment?" he started, complaining.

The rest of the company was no longer listening. One by one they stood, looking out over the side of the boat as if a siren now held their attention, so rapt they were in their vision. There, barely visible through the haze, was the unmistakable silhouette of the Lonely Mountain, the location of Erebor…Gloin handed his purse to Balin.

"Take it. Take all of it." He said his voice escaping him.

Bard ran up to them.

"Quick, give me the money."

"We will give you the money once we have safe passage..."

"If you value your freedom, you will give it to me now. We are approaching guards." he said, urgently. The dwarves looked around and out of the mists, several structures rose.

* * *

><p>Bard wondered to himself if it had been a good idea to agree to this, as he gazed over the grumbling bunch of dwarves and they begrudgingly got back into their barrels to remain hidden. He was grossly outnumbered, and he knew very well more than one of these dwarves would be quite a match for him. All would overpower him easily. There were some that seemed reasonable, though, especially the grey one, and the Hobbit, so young-looking, yet so old in his ways... he could not figure out why he was in their company. Bard did need the money they would pay him. The gold would go far to take care of his family.<p>

But there was something else that made him help them. He overheard them talking amongst themselves. They were being pursued by orks. He could not leave the lot of them stranded, defenseless, to get obliterated by a gang of orks. He hated orks more than he hated anything else. His conscience would not let him abandon these strangers. He sighed, knowing his conscience was a major source of trouble for him.

Bard was likeable, fair, and just, and in a town filed with human refuse, he had became the people's unwilling defender. He just could not keep his mouth closed around Laketown. He constantly stood up against Alfrid and the Master because of their persistent corruption. But that made him a target of the Master's suspicion, and wrath. He could not stand to see what they did to the good people of the town.

It could be his nature to lead, born from his family background, which he carried like a heavy weight. He was a direct descendant of the line of honorable men who had once governed Dale. Some said, they were also responsible for its destruction because they were unable to slay the dragon. So many lives were lost that day in Dale that the pain echoed through the centuries to the present. His family then settled here in Laketown, yet were not treated very kindly; they were outsiders.

Bard had to admit though, he did get an inordinate amount of satisfaction as some of the more irritable dwarves were covered in fish at the fishing pier. He had to hide a smile as he moved along.

"We are nearing the tall gate." Bard warned, to his living cargo.

Bard greeted the gateman and exchanged papers, as was customary. All was going well, as planned, and then the slithering snake reared his ugly head…Alfrid. The black-capped, ugly creature came out of the shadows. Bard was gripped with concern.

"Not…so…fast…" Alfrid said. Bard had to resist the urge to spit at the man. The greedy slime oozed from his pores. "Consignment of empty barrels…from the woodland realm." He continued. "Only, they are not empty, are they Bard?" he said, walking onto his deck. Bard made a note to himself to scrub that part of the deck…"If I recall correctly, you are licensed as a bargeman…not a fisherman..." Alfrid continued.

Alfrid ordered his goons dressed in official clothes to start dumping the barrels over the side. Bard took a deep breath and used every warning and threat he could think of to stop Alfrid from pouring out the fish, and the dwarves; even though frankly, he would not mind a few of them getting dunked overboard…

"Oh, it is not your problem, is it? The people are starving in this town. When the people start rioting because they hear that the master is dumping fish back in the lake, will it be your problem then, Alfrid?" Bard warned, looking at the grimy, slithering goof before him_. _

"Stop!" Alfrid yelled. He glared at Bard, "Ever the people's champion, ey Bard? Protector of the common folk? You might be in their favor now Bard, but it won't last." He said, and took his leave, continuing to spout rubbish. "Remember…we know where you live…" he warned.

"It is a small town Alfrid. Everyone knows where everyone lives…" Bard warned back. _Self-indulgent bastard_, he thought. The gate rose up and Bard moved on as quickly as the slow moving barge would go. His cargo made him strain as he moved the rudder back and forth. Dwarves and fish were heavy…Bard breathed a sigh of relief once past the gate. These dwarves were becoming more trouble than they were worth…

* * *

><p><em>I swear I will never, ever eat fish again…<em>

Kili tried his best not to squirm as one of the fish dumped over his head slid down his back, tickling as much as it felt very, very, revolting. He closed his eyes tight and spat out some of the slimy, fishy mucus that managed to find its way into his mouth. He was a bit hungry before; but not anymore. A constant queasiness had settled in his gut. He batted away a fishtail that was threatening to poke out his eye. He had to struggle not to breathe too deeply, lest the fish slide down and stop his chest from moving. The sharp ends of the fins were digging into his skin.

_I hope that bargeman is getting a good hard laugh now. I don't believe we actually paid him to get covered in fish…disgusting. First Bilbo made us get into barrels, then this man from Laketown packing us like sardines… Just because we are dwarves does not mean we like to be in barrels…with not even a bit of wine… _

_Well, at least the Bard agreed to help us so we have a chance at reaching the Lonely Mountain before the end of Durin's day. But this is not at all funny. _

Kili sucked a breath through his teeth as the pain in his now bent leg went from a throb to a stab. He felt the pain deep in his body, a strange pain that gnawed away at his insides and pounded on his head. He tried to straighten his leg a little, and the fish slid about. He could not wait for this part of their journey to end. Kili panted a bit and let out a stifled groan. He could not help it.

"Kili…you alright?" he heard the muffled voice of his brother. Fili was in the barrel next to him; his voice was tinged with worry.

"Couldn't be better."

"Everyone quiet! " The voice of Bard rose above them. Kili grit his teeth.

Kili held his breath as much as he could as he heard Bard arguing with an official. After a few tense words, and some spilled fish, he felt the boat continue on in their journey. After some more agonizing minutes that felt like hours, the boat jolted to a halt. Kili heard Bard kick over a barrel, and he heard someone cough and groan on the deck.

"Come on, out, all of you…" Kili heard Bard say. Kili needed no more urging. He shot up from the barrel and coughed up the rest of the fishy mucus, groaning and choking, the smelly, so-called fresh fish spilling out around him, all over the deck.

"Keep your hands off of me…" He heard Dwalin say. Kili looked over to see Dwalin glare at Bard, who held his hands up, turning over the next barrel to help another. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to Fili, who's hair was matted against his head. If times were different, Kili would have laughed out loud.

"So this what a dwarf pickled in fish brine looks like." Fili said, trying to engage his brother. Fili helped Kili from the barrel, noting his grimaces. "You look like hell." Fili said, half serious. Kili tried to hide his grimaces behind a smile.

"You look like a drowned rat. But at least now you smell better…" he groaned. Fili smiled weakly. Kili looked over at Dwalin. "It would not hurt him to be civil. He doesn't need to be like that. If Bard abandons us here, then we will really be in a pickle." He whispered to Fili.

"Kili, you know Dwalin. He lives to fight. Please, just worry about yourself for now…"

After they were all out of barrels, they followed Bard along the wharves and wooden planked causeways that made up Laketown. Kili quickly glanced at the ratty, decaying buildings, the paint peeling, and the people and refuse comingling together on the causeways. This was nothing like the sparking, busting oasis that was Esgaroth, the merchant town he had heard of in tales of old. But those were tales of the land as it was before Smaug…

Kili heard Bard bribe the man on the pier to say nothing about his interesting cargo. Kili looked around as they passed people and their wares; already they were drawing stares. It was doubtful that they would remain a secret for very long. He pursed his lips and walked as rapidly as his aching leg would let him…just as he was about to falter, his brother was by his side, wordlessly taking his arm. Fili's hazel eyes rose to his, his concern obvious. Big brother was always watching out for him. Usually annoying for Kili, this time, his brother's doting concern was welcome assistance.

* * *

><p>Bard looked around warily. It was exceedingly hard to smuggle 14 men, all obviously shorter and some brawnier than anyone in Laketown. He ran into his son, Bain, who was rushing to meet him, having seen his boat nearing the dock.<p>

"Father! Our house is being watched." Bain said urgently. Bard groaned and turned to Balin. At least this one would not try to bite him, with what he had to have them do now. The big bald one he was sure would try to kill him for this…

Bard and Bain walked the rest of the way back to their home, in a slightly circuitous route just so the 14 little heads bobbing in the water on the way to his house would not be noticed. He smiled a little bitterly.

_As if I can't see all the spies they have put to watch me. Don't they have anything else better to do? What an incredible waste. If he was a better leader, maybe the Powers that be in this town would not be so concerned about me. He and his goon were the worst things to happen to Laketown. The Master could spend his time on more important things than trying to watch my every move and land me in trouble every chance he gets. I wish he would just drink himself to death already. _

_Well, at least they are so stupid Alfrid and the spies are easy to spot. _

Bard continued to the entry of his home, turning for a moment to throw an apple to the closest so-called spy.

"Tell the master I am done for the day!" he quipped, slamming his door shut. He greeted his girls as he entered. His oldest girl, Sigrid, hugged him, a relieved look coming over her face, a face already bearing the heavy weight of a family on her young shoulders. He had nothing but pride for her. Sigrid helped to raise the family since after her mother passed during childbirth.

His youngest, Tilda, threw her arms around him, the fear of a loss of another parent too often on her innocent mind. Sadness seemed to follow them and their kin, ever since Dale. He hugged them briefly…

"Bain, let them in…"he said urgently, he and Bain going to the windows and closing them over with the curtains. Bain nodded and ran downstairs. He knocked on the wall 3 times.

Dwalin's head rose out of the toilet with the look of contentious rage.

"If you mention this to anyone I will rip your arms off…" he said. He refused the young boy's assistance. The next one, the hobbit, was much more receptive to his aid.

"Da…why are there dwarves coming out of our toilet?" Sigrid asked, looking down on all of them.

One by one, soaking wet, grumbling hulking short men came from the downstairs to the upstairs. Sigrid leaned forward to help one who looked in pain, pale and weak. He nodded to her with a weak smile, and he was immediately taken up by another young dwarf, this one blonde, who also nodded at her, taking hold of the arm of the sick one, helping him up the stairs.

She looked on in shock. Upstairs, their little home was now much smaller, with so much company all of a sudden.

"Will they bring us luck?" Bard's youngest, Tilda, asked with a childlike sweetness. One of the dwarves must have growled at her, because she ran off with a little yelp; into the arms of a short man with pointed ears, about her size. She looked at Bilbo with curiousity.

"I am not so sure about that, little girl." Bilibo said, in a low voice that surprised her, steadying the young girl.

"Are you a boy dwarf?" she asked. "You have no beard...and you have funny feet." She said, wrinkling her nose a little. Bilbo pursed his lips.

"No, absolutely not! I am very much a full grown hobbit." He said, a little put out at the suggestion he was a dwarf. Tilda looked a little disappointed.

"You are the first hobbit she has ever seen." Bain informed Bilbo.

"Oh. I see." Bilbo said, with an awkward smile to Tilda. "Well, hello. I am Bilbo Baggins…"

A few minutes later, Bard and the children walked around, doling out dry clothes to all who would accept it.

"It is not a great fit but at least it is dry." He said. Some dwarves took the clothing graciously, some with an attitude. He glanced for a second at the young, dark haired one; he was looking quite ill…which was odd.

From what Bard knew about elves and dwarves, they did not succumb to the illnesses like man did. They did not catch colds, or develop tumors or have weak lungs or hearts, their joints did not stiffen with age, and when they did get injured, they healed quickly and completely. Therefore they lived very long lives; dwarves for hundreds, elves for thousands of years. But they did not have the joy of children as often as man did, moreso elf than dwarf. He saw the young dwarf grab and hold its leg after walking around, and he winced in pain. Ah, so injury it was.

He turned around and looked at the dark haired one, Thorin, the obvious leader, who was a dark, brooding sort. Even completely soaking wet, this regal appearing dwarf continued to have the bearing of one burdened with responsibility and a haunted, indomitable look. He seemed tainted by bitterness, however. Full of distrust and deceit also, Bard knew.

On the dock back in the woodlands, the grey haired one, Balin was trying to have a pleasant discussion with him, trying to convince him they were just simple merchants. Bard knew the look of warriors; and most of the dwarves had that look. Thorin had broken in and revealed their true intent. They needed passage, and weapons. Bard did like his directness, but that was about all he liked of his attitude. But there was something else about this dwarf… He turned to Sigrid.

"Make something warm for them to eat, whatever you can make a lot of." Bard said in gentle whispers, once he took a disbelieving Sigrid to the kitchen area.

"We don't have a lot of anything, Da." Sigrid said, worried… Bard handed her a satchel filled with fish and vegetables.

"Do the best you can, love." He said, putting his hand gently on his daughter's shoulder. She pursed her lips and nodded.

Sigrid worked to make a fish broth as fast as she could. Sigrid shared out the savory, hot broth in bowls and went to each one. The hobbit, the younger dwarves and the old, grey haired one who talked often with her father were the most receptive, and polite. The young, dark haired one looked even more ill when he smelled the soup, and he refused it.

"No thank you." he said. The blonde one sitting next to him smiled at her, took the bowl and thanked her politely.

"Come on Kili, you need this to heal." he said, turning to the dark haired dwarf, trying to convince him to eat. "Please, brother…"

"I just can't right now, Fili." Kili said, hanging his head. Already his insides felt like a churning, burning mass. Fili patted his back with concern.

"I can bring more later." Sigrid smiled meekly at the two brother dwarves and moved on.

The other dwarves were not so gracious. They only verified what Sigrid had been told of dwarves: that they were a loud, rude, crotchety bunch.

* * *

><p>On the road to Laketown, Legolas and Tauriel took a break to allow their horse rest, get fresh water and some grass to eat. The night was falling fast, so they took refuge under some trees, a fire lit to keep them company. Tauriel lay back against a rock and stared into the night sky. Legolas sat down to one side of the fire, facing her. She looked back at him.<p>

"We have not seen any sign of orks along the way. Might they have given up following the dwarves and returned to their retched holes?" She asked, Legolas looked up.

"I doubt that. From what the captured ork said, they will stop at nothing until they have Thorin's head." He said, looking around. "No…I think they are crawling through the forest, following the edge of the lake. They are determined, but not very smart." He laughed. Tauriel nodded and looked at the embers as they rose up into the night.

"_What will your father think, once you have not returned today?_" She asked, softly, in their tender, elvish Sindarian.

"_With you also gone, he will know full well that we are together_." He said, his eyes searching her face. "_At least he will be assured that we will be safe, with each other_."

"_He will be displeased with you."_ She said, knowing his father's wishes, more than he. "_And for that I am sorry_." She pursed her lips.

"_He will forgive me my disobedience, eventually. I am his blood._" Legolas said, looking around. "_And I came of my own free will, Tauriel._" Tauriel stared at him.

"_Do you think he could forgive you if …_" she began asking, her mind wondering back to earlier that day. Then she stopped short. Legolas tilted his head to the side, looking at her with curiosity. A gentle smile played on his thin lips, his blue eyes soft.

"_Forgive me if …what, Tauriel_?" he asked, innocently. Tauriel sighed, buried in her thoughts. She did care so much about Legolas…But in his handsome face, all she could see was the echoes of his father's looks, the piercing, grey eyes…

_No, there is no way I ever could, ever would ask Legolas to disobey his father for me. I care for them both too much to do that…_

"Nothing, never mind." She said, looking at him with curiosity. "So, why did you really come?" Legolas pursed his lips, and draped his hands over his knees.

"You know me too well." He replied, a little smirk on his face. "I want to see what Thorin Oakensheild intends to do, just how he intends to take care of that giant monster pestilence in the halls of Erebor. And find out more about what the Orks are up to. And why they are after him." He looked down at the ground, and sighed. "Father killed the fiend before I could finish my inquisition." He said.

"Why?" she asked. She would have happily done it for him…

"He said he had heard enough; and that is when he gave the order to seal the gates." Legolas replied. She nodded and thought of something else, more important.

"Now, how do you suppose we would find the dwarves, once we get into Laketown?" She asked. "They could be anywhere. It would not do to have elves wandering about, asking questions about dwarves in that man-town." Legolas sat back, rubbed his chin and knit his brows.

"The orks have followed the dwarves from far; maybe orks can track them, by their scent, like beasts." He said, sitting up. "We will undoubtedly arrive before them. We lay low and just follow the orks as they converge upon the location of the dwarves. Then we can attack." Tauriel smirked.

"Dwarves do not smell that badly…" Tauriel said. Legolas smirked.

"Yes they do, especially when they get old and hairy…" he chided, then leaned back. "And why are you always defending them?" Tauriel looked at him harshly.

"Because I like to judge people on my own." She said, leaving it at that.

"They betrayed our people in the past, Tauriel." He said, ardently. "There were those in that company who hate you without much thought, and would kill you simply because you are an elf."

"And there are those in that company who do not hate me, and would not kill me without good reason." She replied, leaning forward a little. "And some of them feel just as betrayed. I thought you said you were not your father, Legolas…" Legolas looked back at her with a hard stare.

"I am here, with you now, on the way to Laketown, am I not?" He countered, a little angrily. She sat up.

"And for that I thank you, _mellon nin _(my friend)." Tauriel said, wanting him to know how much it meant to her. She did not want to upset him. He looked away from her, out into the field, where the horse was standing. She turned her attention back up to the stars, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Tauriel looked back at Legolas a few moments later. His eyes were back on her for some time, she suspected. She smiled gently.

"These stars are what I miss when we are locked behind the doors of the fortress." She said. He looked up.

"I know. When the night is still and the sky clear," He replied, looking back down at her, "It is easy to see such beauty in the starlight." He said pointedly, his voice softened. She saw the light of the fire sparkle in his eyes, the warm glow on his high cheeks, and felt the ache in her chest, yet again. She looked away from him, and did not reply.

"You should try to rest, Tauriel. I will take the first watch." Legolas said, eventually.

"Yes." Tauriel nodded, looking back at him. "But only if you promise to rest for an equal time this night." He smiled and nodded, standing up to check the area. She lay back down on the ground, placing her weapons by her side. She crossed her arms and stared up into to the night, drifting into the open eyed elvish restful meditation state of renewal. Yet her mind was mired in conflict…

_Why am I doing this? … I must not return anything Legolas says; regardless of how I feel. So why am I letting him come with me to Laketown, for I have reasons I don't yet understand myself. _

_Ugh...What is it about that young dwarf that keeps him on my mind? Whatever it is, I am sure I will find my answers in Laketown, and …it will wane, I am sure it will, once I get there and help him…_

_...or find him dead already._

When that thought hit her mind, Tauriel's body shuddered, a pang hit her chest, and she caught her breath in a sudden gasp. She was shocked at how upset just the thought made her feel.

_Kili…please don't be dead yet. Hold on, just a bit longer…_


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:**

Thank you for the reads and favorites, thank you Proud2begeek, Syblime (glad you caught the joke), flynalien, guests, for the reviews. I love the feedback.

Almost through DOS! But here are some of the more obligatory scenes...with a few twists. I am going to try and expand upon Bard, because he is such a strong character and got so little screentime. Again, I didn't create these characters, no compensation etc etc...

AW

* * *

><p>The overcast skies were a pale backdrop to the stark, grey buildings of Laketown. Thorin looked outside of the window, his face falling slack, his eyes widening.<p>

"A dwarfish windlance…" Thorin whispered, as he gazed out the window with a haunted, pale expression. Bilbo was walking by him at the moment and stopped to glance his way, wondering what had captured his gaze. He didn't understand Thorin's reaction.

"You look as if you just saw a ghost." Bildo said, as he walked by, warming his hands.

"That is because he has." Balin said. "The last time we saw such a weapon, a city was on fire. It was the day the dragon came. The day that Smaug destroyed Dale."

All looked at Balin somberly as he wove the tale; images of a city in flames invaded everyone's imagination, pictures of all the people burning under an assault so devastating, it was complete… Dale was laid to waste with the ire of Smaug. One could almost picture Girion, the Lord of the city, loading black arrow after black arrow into the windlance, trying desperately to hit the offending beast, and stop it from desecrating his town, murdering his people. But who could fight such an overwhelming dark force such as a dragon?

"The stores were running low when Girion made his last stand." Balin finished his tale, sadly. A solemnity fell over the inhabitants of the little house. Thorin's face darkened as he eyed the windlance.

"If the aim of man were true that day, much would have been different." Thorin said in a low, bitter tone, looking back at Balin. Bard took a few steps toward him.

"You speak as if you were there." Bard said. In his mind, he was trying to figure out just how old this dwarf was…

"All dwarves know the tale." Thorin said, with an evasiveexpression. Bain, with youthful indulgence, joined in the discussion.

"Then you would know that Girion hit the dragon, and loosened a scale under the left wing. One more shot, he would have killed the beast!" the boy insisted. Dwalin crossed his arms and shook his head, a smug look on his face.

"That's a fairy story, lad. Nothing more." Dwalin said, dismissively. Bain looked crossly at the dwarf and back to his father. Bard was eyeing them with suspicion.

"You took our money. Where are the weapons?" Thorin said, wishing to change the subject of the discussion. Bard looked around. All dwarf eyes were on him.

"Wait here…" he said, disappearing down the stairs.

Thorin motioned for his nephews to join him. Kili stood up and walked up closer to Balin and Thorin. Fili joined them. They talked in hushed tones.

"Tommorow begins the last days of autumn. " he said.

"Durin's day falls morn after next. We must reach the mountain before then." Balin informed them all.

"And if we do not? If we fail to find the hidden door before that time?" Kili said, desperation showing on his face and in his voice.

"Then this quest has been for nothing…" Fili said, impatience in his voice. Kili was feeling his strength ebbing, and was worried why his body was hurting so; but he was doing everything he could to hide his discomfort from his uncle.

The Lakeman returned with a long package that he placed on the table. He untied it and unwrapped it. Within it were an assortment of homemade implements, wood tied to iron pieces. The dwarves looked at it incredulously.

"What is this!?" Thorin asked, with a grimace, holding up a long stick with what looked like large fishhooks on the end.

"A Pike hook. Made from an old harpoon." Bard explained.

"And this?" Kili asked.

"A crowbell, we call it. Fashioned from a smithies hammer. Heavy in hand, I grant, but in defense of your life, it will serve you better than none."

"We paid you for weapons. Iron forged swords and axes." Glion puffed out, upset that his money was being spent so wrongly.

"It's a joke!" Bofur exclaimed. They all threw the weapons back on the table.

"You won't find better outside of the city armory. All iron forged weapons are held there under lock and key." Bard informed the disgruntled bunch. Dwalin and Thorin exchanged glances.

"Thorin, why don't we take what he offers and go. I've made do with less. So have you." Balin said, ever being diplomatic. "I say we leave now." Everyone else groaned.

"You are not going anywhere." Bard warned. Dwalin looked at him with daggers in his eyes.

"What did you say?" Dwalin said, menacingly. Fili shook his head. _Why was he hedging a fight_?

"There are spies watching this house and probably every dock and wharf in the town. You must wait until nightfall." Bard said, staring a Dwalin, with as much menace.

_Maybe I should just let them go and get caught. Good riddance. _Bard thought.

All grumbled and complain under their breath, walking away, disappointed. Bard looked after Thorin and Dwalin who huddled together, but first looked back at him suspiciously. Bard knit his brows and headed out the door for some fresh air and a place to think.

_Thorin…Thorin…what is it about that name that tugs at the strings of my memory?_

Bard looked around, towards the towering silhouette of the lonely mountain. Bain opened the door.

"Da?"

"Don't let them leave!" Bard said urgently, as he headed down the stairs, a burning question begging to be answered now invading his mind.

* * *

><p>Kili grabbed hold of a staff and lowered himself to sitting on the edge of a bench. He was feeling very lightheaded and his leg was throbbing. He rubbed at it, but even the lightest touch made it worse. He looked all around, just to make sure no one would notice. He did find two eyes gazing his way. The older girl, Sigrid, looked at him with concern, and then turned around, busying herself with something in the kitchen. He groaned and winced. He did not care if she saw. Kili pricked his ears up to hear the whispered conversation between his uncle and Dwalin.<p>

"What say you?" Thorin said to Dwalin.

"I say we need to pay a visit to this armory."Dwalin whispered back. Thorin looked at him slyly.

"My thoughts exactly." He quickly motioned for the nearby dwarves to come around. Kili, Fili, Oin and Bofur huddled around. Balin walked over.

"So we are going to the armory?" Kili said in a whisper, excitement in his voice. Everyone hushed him. "How do you know where it is?"

"We don't." Balin said, arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

Bilbo was walking around, examining things in the house, quite content to wait till nightfall. Bain walked swiftly back into the house, nearly knocking over Bilbo.

"Sorry." Bilbo said.

"It was my fault." Bain said graciously. He looked around at the huddling dwarfs nervously, and sat at a bench by the door. Bilbo, ever the curious hobbit, sat across from Bain, a question bothering his mind.

"Um…can I ask a question?" He said, getting Bain's attention.

"Yes?" Bain said, a little warily. Bilbo looked over to the makeshift weapons on the table.

"Why…was your father…building and hiding these kinds of weapons? And why are there spies looking at your house?" He asked with restrained inquisitiveness. Bain sighed. Some of the dwarves leaned in, listening with interest.

"The master and Alfrid, his assistant, don't like my father." He said, blinking his eyes. "That is because my father is always standing up for the other folks; when things go wrong in the town they always seek him out to make their case to the Master. He usually ends up getting what he asks for because he has support from the townsfolk. Some people want him to become the leader in this town." Bain explained. Sigrid, hearing the conversation, walked over.

"They will never let that happen, Bain. Because Da is a good man and they are scoundrels. The master believes it is his right to rule this place into ruin, and his greedy assistant does all of his dirty work." She put her hands on her waist, and looked towards Bilbo. "They are making our lives miserable because they want us to leave this town. But father will not just go." Bain looked over to Sigrid. Bilbo was almost sorry he had asked, yet he was interested in hearing more about Bard. The dwarves were whispering softly between each other behind him.

"But if we get enough support, they will have to hold an election. And then we can change things here and make it right." Bain said, standing up to his sister.

"How will just a few townspeople armed with slipshod weapons ever change anything, Bain?" Sigrid said. "Even the dwarves won't use these things."

"We can't just sit around and let things keep on going the way they have." Bain said. "If we are really serious about taking control, when we have enough people, we would have to go together, and get real weapons, at the armory next to the tall gate."

"That would be dangerous, though wouldn't it?" Tilda said, worry in her face. Sigrid went over to her and comforted her.

"Don't worry. Da would not do anything that would put us in danger. But he will do all he can to make our lives better. Even if it means fighting against the powers that rule this town." She said, looking up at Bain. The dwarves that had been in a huddle started to separate and move about. Balin, being pushed forward by Thorin, went up to the two elder children.

"I can see quite easily that your father is a good man, helping strangers like us and all. And I understand that he does not think it safe for us to leave, but I think we should take our leave now. We have been an inconvenience to you kind people, and we don't want to bring you any more trouble, and I fear if we stay any longer we may." He said looking seriously at the boy.

"Please, don't leave yet…" Bain said, growing in worry. Bard had wanted him to keep them there…. Dwalin groaned.

"Enough with the niceties. Come along already." Dwalin mumbled, impatiently. Bain stood up, and tried to stop them as they filed out to the staircase downstairs. Dwalin growled at him and glared, pushing Bain gently but firmly aside. The dwarves left one by one.

"Thank you very much." Fili said, shaking Bain's hand.

"You were very kind." Kili said, nodding to Sigrid.

"It was nice meeting you…" Bilbo said to Tilda, who smiled weakly and waved, appearing saddened.

"Get yourselves some better weapons." Gloin said, before one of the other dwarves hit him on the head and pushed him along down the stairs.

"Keep up your courage, but use it wisely, boy." Thorin said, as he walked past Bain with a stoic expression and nodded his thanks. The others all filed out past him, some thanking them, all quickly.

"I liked the soup…" Bofur said, the last one out, with a wide, goofy smile to Sigrid. They dragged him along.

Within several minutes the youngsters were alone, staring at each other, wondering what had just happened. Sigrid shrugged her shoulders and looked around with a sigh.

"I guess we should start cleaning up from our guests." She said, looking at the other two. "Dwarves sure are messy creatures…" she said, shaking her head. The other two children groaned in agreement.

* * *

><p>In a little carpet shop in Laketown, Bard was rummaging through old tapestries. All about him the townsfolk were abuzz about the rumors that dwarves were in their midst. He finally found the one he was looking for. There it was, in faded color on the century old piece of cloth…He was <em>the<em> Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror…the Dwarf King of Erebor.

"It's the prophesy, the prophesy of Durin's Folk," an old man said. Everyone dared to wonder if the prophecy had come to light. Bard turned around. Bard was suddenly gripped with fear in realization. They would come and fulfill the prophecy.

"The lord of silver fountains_…_The king of carven stone, the king beneath the mountain, shall come into his own…" The words of the prophecy rang in Bard's head as he raced back to his home.

_'And the bells shall ring in gladness at the mountain king's return, but all will fail in sadness, and the lake will shine and burn'… _

_Oh my gods…what did I bring to this town? _

* * *

><p>The company tiptoed over the walkways and piers and bridges that made up Laketown with stealth. In the darkening evening, not many were about, and it took them a short while, in the darkening shadows, to find the armory. Using the other dwarfs as a ladder, they got several dwarves and the hobbit into the armory by breaking in to a second floor window. They looked around downstairs; no one was there.<p>

Kili was now feeling even more weak, and in more pain than ever, but he was resolved to keep it secret. He managed to make it into the window, largely because his brother pushed him up, being the one under the windowsill.

The weapons in the armory were much better than what Bard had offered. Kili walked around as several large swords and axes, and a large staff were loaded into his waiting arms. As his uncle put an ax on top he looked at Kili with concern.

"You alright?" Thorin asked, as Kili struggled a bit with the weapons. Thorin did notice how much paler he seemed to be.

"I can manage." He said, turning around to head down the stairs. "I just want to get out of here."

As he started down the stairs, with the extra load, his leg gave out and he fell, the weapons clanking loudly down the steps. They might as well have tripped an alarm. The sounds of guards arriving followed soon after. They were captured. Kili looked up at his uncle, desperation in his face as a knife was put to his throat. Thorin looked at him with something more painful for Kili to see than anger: disappointment.

The guards rounded them up and dragged them off to see the Master.

* * *

><p>Bard arrived at his house breathless. What danger had he left his children with? He busted open the door only to see his house relatively vacant. The children stopped what they were doing and stared at him.<p>

"Da…I tried to stop them!" Bain explained.

"How long have they been gone?" he said urgently, holding his son's shoulders.

"Not very long." Bain said, looking downtrodden. Bard groaned and cursed under his breath, turning around. "I'm sorry Da." Bain said, heartbroken. Bard turned around again and held his son, patting his head.

"I'm sure you did what you could, but I have to find them..." he said. The far off sounds of shouting came from outside. Bard rushed to the stairs outside and looked towards the sounds. The trailing smoke from torches and the loud complaints of captive dwarves being escorted by soldiers broke the relative quiet of the evening. They were heading to the center of town; the Master's house. Bain walked up behind him.

"I think they found them…" Bain said. Bard looked around at his children, worry wrinkling his face. Sigrid held Tilda close.

"I'll go find out what is happening." He said, running down the stairs. Bain followed.

"I'm coming with you." he said. Bard turned around.

"Bain, stay here, with your sisters." He insisted. Bain was about to protest when his father gripped his shoulder tightly. Bard spoke in urgent whispers. "Look, I don't know what the dwarves are going to say, or if they will implicate us, therefore I need you here to protect your sisters. At the slightest sound of trouble, grab the girls and head for the forest." Bain swallowed hard, his eyes blinking. "Can you do that for me, son?" Bard said.

"Yes Da." Bain said, shakily. Bard held his head firmly for a moment, nodding, and then he headed to the center of town with some haste.

Bard entered the periphery of the crowd that was now surrounding the group of soldiers, with the dwarves in the middle. He vaguely heard some words exchanged, but by the time he got far enough into the group to hear clearly, Thorin, with all his regal swagger, was walking around, talking to the Master and all who would listen.

"We are the dwarves of Erabor. We have come to reclaim our homeland." Thorin said. The Master looked out over the dwarves in shock. Bard winced. It was all he had feared. Thorin continued, his voice low, commanding, filled with emotion.

"I remember this town in the great days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbor, filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake. This was the center of all trade in the north." He said, with such fire that he captured the attention of all around him. Bard looked around, everyone was murmuring hopefully to each other. Bard gritted his teeth.

"I would see those days return. I would relight the great forges of the dwarves, send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erabor!" Thorin exclaimed, waving his arm over the crowd, inciting all to clap and cry out in agreement. Bard could take it no more.

"Death!" he cried out loudly. Thorin and all others turned to look for him. He pushed his way into the clearing in the center of the crowd. "That is what you would bring upon us!" He said loudly, approaching the regal dwarf. "Dragon fire and ruin." Bard stood before them all, looking solemnly at Thorin. "If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all." Thorin looked at Bard with hard, angry eyes. He turned to the crowd.

"You can listen to this naysayer, but I promise you this. If we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the mountain." Thorin said, insistently to all around. He raised his arms. "You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!" He shouted loudly, winning almost everyone over. The crowd erupted in cheers. The master smiled, because now the dwarf was talking his language. Riches. But he did not quiet Bard…

"All of you! Listen to me! You must listen! Have you forgotten what happened to Dale?" Bard shouted, desperately trying to work reason into this madness. "Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm? And for what purpose? The blind ambition of a mountain king, so driven by greed, he could not see beyond his own desire!" Bard said, looking at Thorin harshly.

"Now, now, we must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame," the Master interjected, because in his mind's eye, he was seeing his coffers filling with the riches the dwarf had offered. "Let us not forget that it was Girion, lord of Dale, your ancestor, who failed to kill the beast!" he said pointing his skinny finger at Bard. Bard's expression changed to one of sadness and shame.

"Its true sire, we all know the story, arrow after arrow he shot, each one missing its mark." Alfrid chimed in, always willing to give a dig.

Thorin looked at Bard with open eyes; Bard was not just a Lakeman, but also a descendant of the people of Dale. He and his family were also personally damaged in the destruction. Thorin saw that Bard knew, from the stories of his elders, very well about the power and danger of a dragon. Bard walked up to Thorin.

"You have no right, no right to enter that mountain." Bard said in a hushed, urgent whisper to Thorin.

"I have the only right." Thorin whispered back, bitterly, glaring at Bard. He turned around. "I speak to the Master of the Men of the Lake. Will you see the prophesy fulfilled?" he leaned forward a little, knowing just how to speak to this Master, a man bloated and pompous…"Will you share in the great wealth of our people?"

Bard stood closely behind, concerned, knowing the fate of Laketown was now undoubtedly in the hands of this materialistic, selfish man. The people's murmuring became fell silent, all looked to the Master, who looked about.

"What say you?" Thorin urged.

"I say unto you …" he began. "Welcome, welcome and thrice welcome, King under the Mountain!" The Master proclaimed, throwing his arms up, the cheers of the people erupting all around them. Alfred looked smugly at Bard.

Bard sighed and seethed silently as Thorin turned around to look at the Lakemen in celebration all around. Thorin stared at Bard. He had won…this time, at least. But the look was serious; Thorin was not gloating. There was still so much left uncertain, so much left of this war left to fight. Next time, the battle would be with a dragon.

Bard gave Thorin a final glance, then pursed his lips and walked away back through the crowds, despondent and worried. Bilbo looked at the retreating man, very concerned about what he had heard this night.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:**

If I were to name this chapter it would be called "**Boys will be Boys**". Almost there folks, but Laketown taking me longer than expected. Some cannon movieverse here but I got in much more original stuff, which I like to do better... Sigh.

Again, thank you for the follows and reviews; they really keep me focused : Syblime, Flynalien, Proud2BGeek, Ice cream rocks, ElvesRule thanks for the feedback. Hope you enjoy!

AW

* * *

><p>Kili sat on a bench against the window, his chin on his arm which was propped on the windowsill. Outside, the little square in front of the Master's house, was where Thorin Oakenshield had won over the trust and stirred the hope of the Lakemen. It had been hours since then, yet exultant revelers were still lingering, the free flow of wine from the stores of the Master an unusual reprieve for the downtrodden town. Outside, he could hear the expectation of the people, the hope and wonder...and the greed. Kili sighed, and put his fingers on the cold window, looking outside beyond the frost as the lamplights flickered and waved to and fro in the frigid breeze. He blinked slowly, his body tired, feeling stone cold, his head in a bit of an achy daze, the now constant pain spreading from his leg up into his stomach and chest. It was becoming difficult to ignore.<p>

This little bench was the quietest and warmest spot he could find in this old, drafty building. It was also a place he could put up and stretch out his throbbing leg, without drawing too many stares. He looked back at the dining room, a stone's throw from where he sat, at the rest of the company. Most of them were now quite happily enjoying the Master's largesse; drinking his wine, eating his food. Bofur was already well on his way to inebriation, dancing and singing on the tabletops, making a spectacle of himself like he usually did. The people of Laketown at the feast did not seem to mind. If it were another day, Kili would have been all too happy to join in the libations.

Kili closed his eyes slowly, and remembered the last few hours. He remembered his blood starting to boil when the Master went up to his uncle and tried to put his arm around him. Dwalin had to be physically held back from ringing the Master's fat neck, but the message was clear. Balin had to intercede, and he soothed and distracted the Master with flattery. Dwalin was then put to better tasks; giving instructions to the soldiers as to what weapons and armor they would need for the trip to the Lonely Mountain, before he sat down at the table with everyone else, far away from the Master, to indulge in the food and drink, smirking and shaking his head at Bofur. Thorin sat next to the master, barely able to hide his distain, knowing that was what he needed to do, for appearances, to reward the master for his flagrant displays of generosity.

He remembered looking at Bombur with shock…he didn't think the dwarf could stuff in any more food without exploding. Oin, Nori, Gloin were arguing about who had spent the most between themselves, Bifur was busy trying to figure out to use the knives and forks, and big brother Dori was arguing with Ori, urging him to eat green food without much success. Bilbo was sitting quietly in their midst, eating and drinking, taking it all in. Kili managed to gulp down a few bites of food and a few sips of brew before his stomach turned and he nearly became physically ill right then and there. He really just needed someplace quiet, so Kili snuck away slowly, leaving his brother's side, after Fili's attention was captured by a rather pretty, but drunk, young maiden, asking some fairly personal questions. He felt strongly that, of the two of them, at least Fili should be enjoying himself. Fili had been fluttering around him, worried, like a mother hen all night.

On top of his not feeling physically well, which this was for the first time in his life, Kili was feeling quite remorseful; he was mortified that he had disappointed his uncle. He had alerted the entire battalion of soldiers by falling down the stairs at the armory. While he was sitting at the table trying to eat, he saw his uncle from across the room, looking him and whispering to Dwalin. He lowered his head and immediately became uncomfortable, self-conscious, and could not meet his gaze. He should have told Thorin that he couldn't carry all those weapons. Granted, things did turn out for the better, but it could have been much worse. Kili sighed. All he wanted was his uncle to respect him. However, he felt he had impressed his uncle before with his skill of the bow and his bravery in the face of danger during this journey. Kili was a fearless, strong, young fighter, and his uncle relied on him heavily. Kili laughed to himself softly; his mother would have called all he did recklessness, all this time.

But Kili also knew that Fili, being the eldest nephew, was the one Thorin looked to as his heir. Being the crown prince had its responsibilities, and to be honest, Kili wanted no part of that. Fili was the more mature, more patient, more mindful of the two of them; it was good that he was the heir. Kili had resigned himself to never be a King, but would be quite satisfied, and honored, to serve under his uncle and brother in the new Erebor. Kili would stay at Fili's side, to become his brother's most trusted confidant and emissary, and would probably like the freedom of travel that came with that. And he would defend his Uncle Thorin and his beloved brother both to the death if need be, that he knew.

Travel; that is what they had done for over a year and they were far away from the Blue Mountains of home. He moved his hand over the smooth glass, remembering the delicious, warm little hobbit Shire. Then there were the Trolls who tried to eat them, the chase through the plains to Rivendell and the kindness of King Elrond. Then they unwillingly became a part of stone giants fighting in the Misty Mountains, before literally falling into the Goblin kingdom where they were taken as prisoners. It was by dwarf collaboration, a healthy dose of luck, and a Wizard's might that they escaped from there. Then there was their fight in the forest with the Orks where he was certain they would die, run up in a tree on the edge of a cliff like quarry to the beasts who were after them. But then he and his brother took one of the most thrilling rides of their lives on the back of an eagle, up to the Carrock. So many places had they been, but the Orks were always on their tail; they were always running, being hunted. Then to Beorn's house, then through Mirkwood.

He looked out the window again, between his fingers, thinking about Mirkwood, those disgusting spiders, and the awe inspiring Woodland fortress. With a little smile, he remembered the damp, cold dungeons, and the warm, sweet smile of a red-haired she-elf warrior who gazed at stars. Stars were memory, she had said, precious and pure. Kili remembered the heat he felt in his chest when she smiled at him, every little detail of her face as he closed his eyes; it was etched, indelibly, in his mind. He sighed deeply, wondering if he would ever see Tauriel again…

The coldness of the glass sunk into his fingertips. Kili shivered and pulled his fingers back from the pane of glass. He put his now quite cold hand inside his jacket to get it warm. He rocked forward a bit, hoping the movement would distract him from the ache rising inside.

"Hello?" a soft voice said. Kili whipped his head around, and eyed a person in a cape and hood coming his way. She put the hood down; it was Sigrid, Bard's daughter. He nodded his greeting.

"Hello to you too." Kili said, surprised to see her. She looked him over with questioning eyes, and glanced toward the banquet room.

"Why are you not there with them?" she asked. Kili sat up a bit.

"I already had my fill." He said. She blinked and looked at his leg.

"You are injured." She said. "And in pain."

"Yes..." He admitted, looking down at his leg. "But it will heal." She pursed her lips and nodded.

"My father has herbs for healing." She said, approaching closer. Kili was unforthcoming, but he felt no danger from this young woman. She was just being kind, he thought.

"Thank you, but I'll be fine." He refused. He looked at her again. "In any case, I doubt your father wants to have anything to do with us, judging on what he said in the square today." He lifted up one of his brows. She tilted her head a little to the side.

"What did he say?" She asked.

"That we will bring death to this town." He said, in a low voice. She took a deep breath.

"You are the Dwarves of Erebor…the King beneath the lonely mountain has returned. It is in the prophecy." She said. Kili looked at her with a questioning gaze.

"What exactly is the prophecy?" he asked. Sigrid drew closer, sitting next to his injured leg, making sure not to bump it. She slowly recited the whole prophesy. Kili was shocked and disturbed after she recounted it.

"…_all shall fail in sadness and the lake will shine and burn._ That does sound quite ominous." Kili said, in a low voice, and he looked towards the banquet hall. Did his uncle Thorin know or care about this? He motioned towards the festive folk. "They do not seem too worried about that last part." Her pretty face got a bit angry.

"All the Master sees is gold so he can become fatter, and have more wealth. He does not look at the risk to his people." She said, crossing her arms. Kili knit his brows.

"I do understand your father's concern."Kili acquiesced. Sigrid nodded.

"If you all get up there and enter the mountain…how will you take care of the dragon?" She asked, tentatively. Kili put his head back and thought for a few seconds.

"We have a plan; it involves retrieving the Arkenstone from the dragon. That is why we have a burglar in our midst." He revealed. She knit her brows.

"The Arkenstone?"

"The stone which gives the divine right to rule. With that, my uncle Thorin will reunite the dwarf kingdoms." He said. She nodded in understanding.

"And the burglar?"

"That is the hobbit who is with us, Bilbo. He will… acquire the Arkenstone, somehow. And we have a wizard who will join us, right before we enter the mountain, Gandalf the Grey." She nodded, and gasped.

"I have more hope that a wizard will be able to help you slay the dragon than the hobbit… he is very nice, though."

"Nice does not work with a dragon." Kili said.

"Which is why father is worried." She said.

"But flattery may…" he said, "and Bilbo is quite the clever hobbit."

"But…what if the dragon escapes?" she said, fear growing in her eyes.

"Dragons love gold…" Kili said. "There would be no reason for him to attack Laketown; it has no riches, no gold to attract it, right? That is why he destroyed Dale; it was right outside of Erabor, where there are mountains of gold." he said, his eyes wandering. "Even if Smaug leaves the mountain, he will return. We will most assuredly have to find a way to kill the beast." She pursed her lips. "I am certain my uncle has ideas how to do that very thing." He said, with feigned certainty.

"I hope you are successful in that." She said. "Only then will Laketown be free from worry."

A searing stab of pain shot up Kili's leg and he jumped and gasped, his hands going into fists, his eyes closing tight. His stomach twisted painfully, making him lean over, groaning. Sigrid reached forward, to stop him from falling off the bench, and he practically fell against her. She helped him right himself as the pain waned. He opened his eyes, breathing heavily.

"I'm sorry…" he said weakly.

"You really have to get that looked at; it is getting worse." She said. Sigrid could not help thinking it aloud. "This is not normal." The dwarf was looking so much paler than before…

"I'll be fine." He insisted. They were both distracted by some swift footsteps coming their way. It was Fili. His face was exasperated, and he looked a little bit cross.

"There you are, Kili, I was looking all over for you…" Fili complained. Kili looked his way, the expression of pain still plain on his face. Fili approached him quickly, worry on his face. "What happened?" he said, looking at Sigrid.

"He…he just doubled over, in pain." Sigrid said. "I…I think it is his injury…it is making him sick." she said. Fili looked from her to Kili.

"Its ok, just a twinge, it will be fine. You all worry too much." Kili said, struggling to hide it.

"Kili, it is me you are talking to." Fili said, taking his brother's face in his hands, examining the sunken eyes and pale cheeks, sweeping away his dark hair from his pale forehead. Fili breathed in deeply, exasperated. "You are feverish." He stood up and helped his brother to his feet, Sigrid assisting. "I have found a quiet place for us to sleep in overnight. You need to rest."

"Yes, that is what I need. To lay down…then I will feel better. I'm sure of it." He said, more to alleviate his brother's worry than his own. Fili took Kili's arm over his shoulder, and wrapped his arm around his body. Sigrid stepped back, her face laced with disquiet.

"I have him." Fili said to Sigrid, with a thankful smile.

"Thank you…uh…young lady." Kili said weakly, feeling quite faint now that he was upright on his feet.

"Sigrid, my name is Sigrid." She said, backing away. Fili looked back up at her.

"Thank you for everything, Sigrid." Fili said, tuning slowly with his brother. The brothers Durin walked slowly down a darkened hall, as she watched them go.

"I hope you feel better…" she said, faintly. Sigrid turned to leave, heading back to her father with the little bit of information she managed to gather, as he told her to. She put her hand around a small knife in her cloak, holding on to it for comfort. Who knows what was lurking about in the shadows at night? She walked out the front door of the master's house, into the night full of drunken revelers.

Fili and Kili limped down the hall to a small room with two beds and a small chest of drawers; a servant's quarters, no doubt.

"I have to yell at you for leaving me with that…lady back there." Fili said, as he sat Kili on the bed. Kili winced and groaned as Fili helped him take off his boots. He glanced at the wound they had bound. It was no longer bleeding, so Fili loosened the binding.

"Oh? I thought you would have had a delightful conversation." Kili said, groaning in pain as he leaned back into the bed. Lying flat felt so good. He opened his eyes as he felt a blanket thrown on him. Fili smiled sheepishly as he went to the dresser and poured some steaming, amber liquid into a cup. He smelled it and handed it to his brother.

"Here, drink some tea. You look parched." Fili said. Kili rose up on his elbow, accepting the tea. He was thankful the hot liquid went down without causing painful reactions. He licked his lips, realizing just then how cracked and chapped they were. He handed the cup back to his brother.

"Well?" Kili said, collapsing back on the bed, breathing more heavily than he should have been for the effort. Fili flipped into the bed on the other wall. "What about this lady?" Fili smiled smugly.

"She was very drunk, and way too interested in finding out the sizes of dwarves…privates." Fili said, a sly look on his face. "She practically attacked me to get a look…" he laughed. Kili's eyes opened wide and laughed. His brother was quite prudish, that he knew.

"I would have loved to see that!" He said. "Too bad all she had was you as an example...now me…I would have impressed her." he joked. Kili barely had time to raise his hand to ward off the pillow aimed squarely at his head.

"In your dreams, Kili. You forget, I've seen you naked. Now go to sleep. We are getting up at first light and leaving soon thereafter."

"Alright…" Kili said, his laughter dying down. He winced and groaned in pain as he turned over, facing away from his brother. "I really hope we make it there before the end of Durin's day…" he murmured. Everything hurt, but his exhaustion still managed to pull him quickly into a fitful slumber.

"I hope we all survive to see the next full moon." Fili said in a whisper, as he glanced at the other dwarf in the bed across from him, a look of concern permanently wedged on his face as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>Kili groaned as Fili pulled open the curtains of the little room. For some reason, the sun was out. It felt as if he had only been sleeping for an hour, at most…<p>

"Oh, gods, do you have to do that?" he said. He blinked his eyes open. Fili was fully dressed before him, not only in clothes, but he had on the armor he had seen before on the Laketown soldiers, with weapons around his waist. He also looked like he had been up quite a while. He pulled Kili up unceremoniously.

"I let you sleep as long as I could." He said, starting to put on Kili's boots, despite his protest. Kili yawned and stretched, nearly gagging on the pastry Fili shoved into his mouth.

"Hey!" Kili said, chewing. "Wha wa tha fur?" he said, his mouth full. Fili shoved a cup of hot beverage into Kili's other hand.

"You need to eat a little something, and we have no time. Uncle is waiting on no one. He is itching to get out of this town. Before Dwalin kills someone, no doubt." Fili explained. Kili chewed and drank quickly while Fili dressed him.

"He is a lovely guest." Kili moaned, finally able to help Fili put on the armor. Fili pulled Kili to standing, but Kili's eyes went blank and he fell forward…Fili caught him, slapping his face.

"Kili…Kili!" he said, urgently. Kili's eyes closed, fluttered open and he shook his head.

"Stop hitting me!" he fought away from Fili's grasp. "I just need a few seconds, tis all."

"You have to be able to walk on your own. They are marching us to the boat, like a bloody parade, with bells and trumpets; the works." Fili informed him, securing the last of the armor's panels.

"Oh, no, you must be kidding…" Kili groaned. He breathed hard. Fili stood in front of him, his face serious.

"Tell me…can you do that?" He asked. Kili became serious and stood up tall.

"Yes, yes I can. I am feeling better, actually." He said, trying to convince Fili. Fili pursed his lips and grunted. He turned and grabbed an elongated parcel that had been leaning against the wall. He unwrapped it. It was a bow, and a quiver full of arrows…Kili smiled widely; a tired, but grateful smile.

"Look what I found. Some wimpy weapons for you." Fili said, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"You will see how wimpy they are when I save your sorry arse…" Kili started, as they walked out the door of their little room.

* * *

><p>Thorin tried desperately not to roll his eyes as he had to endure yet another set of squealing trumpets that made the short walk to the dock almost unbearably long. He was trying hard not to embarrass his hosts. He glared at Dwalin as he growled at a trumpeter. Thorin was thankful that they stopped the hideous reverie as the dwarfs loaded onto the boat one by one. He grunted a heavy, solemn sigh as he walked in front of his sickly, pale nephew. This was not going to be easy. He held out his arm.<p>

"Not you. We must travel at speed, you will slow us down." He said, looking past him. He tried not to look into the beloved face of this nephew. He full well knew he would see and feel the disillusionment, almost as badly as Kili did. But he did look at him. Damn.

"What are you talking about, I am going with you." Kili said, incredulous.

"No, no." Thorin said, helping them pass the weapons on to the boat. He shook his head, looking at Kili's eyes again. The sadness and disappointment hit Thorin harder than he expected. Fili turned around in the boat, listening intently.

"I am going to be there when that door is opened…when we first look upon the halls of our fathers, Thorin..."Kili started, his voice desperate. Thorin approached him, coming in close and he softened his commander's gaze. If ever there was, this was the time he needed to be like a father to the boy. He put his hand firmly against Kili's head and looked at him intently, with tenderness.

"Kili. Stay here. Rest. Join us when you are healed." He said, barely above a whisper, with such gentleness and decisiveness, Kili knew there was no fighting it. Thorin gave him a final, sad smile, and turned around to walk down the dock, before getting onto the boat. Kili backed away, despondency overtaking him. He plodded over to a crate and sat on it. Deep in his mind, Kili knew his uncle was right. He had to admit to the logic of it. He was too sick to go.

"I'll stay with the lad. My duty lies with the wounded." Oin said resolutely, climbing off the boat, back onto the dock, walking up next to Kili. Thorin let out a sigh. Next, Thorin knew full well, he had to deal with the other half, his brother. Thorin looked down at him. Fili was incensed…

"Uncle- We grew up on tales of the mountain, tales you told us. You cannot take that away from him…"Fili said, indignantly.

"Fili…" Thorin tried to interrupt.

"I will carry him if I must!" Fili said, doggedly determined. Fili's fidelity to his brother made Thorin feel worse than he already did. A good trait for a king; but not right now. Thorin breathed in.

"One day you will be king and you will understand. I cannot risk the fate of this quest for the fate of one dwarf…" Thorin said, shaking his head sadly. "Not even my own kin." Thorin looked over as Oin tried to examine Kili, who would have nothing of it at that moment, swatting him away.

Fili narrowed his eyes, looked at his brother and back at Thorin. This went against everything he had been taught, practiced and believed. Fealty, brotherhood was paramount. Fili climbed off the boat, anger rolling off of his young face.

"Fili, don't be a fool…you belong with the company." Thorin urged, grabbing his arm. This was not going well at all. They needed all the fighters they had, and Fili was one of his best. Fili looked back at him.

"I belong with my brother." Fili insisted, with as much finality, pulling his arm away from Thorin's grasp.

Fili walked over to stand next to Kili, who was looking up at him in disbelief. Fili went down on his knee next to him. The caterwauling of the trumpets began again, and the Master said something grandiose and forgettable.

"Why did you not tell me you were this bad, my boy?" Oin said, his face gravely concerned.

"Why are you here?" Kili whispered to Fili. Fili put his hand firmly on Kili's shoulder, turning to look at the boat as it left dock.

What Fili did not want to say was that he was deathly afraid that if he went on the boat with the company, he would never see his brother alive again. He sighed as he saw everyone on the boat waving.

Thorin looked back at his nephews and sighed. Maybe It was better this way, he thought. Maybe the Durin boys should stay at Laketown, away from the dragon, so that the line may endure if the worst of fates should befall them.

"No, no, no….agh." Bofur said, breaking through the crowds, only to see the boat full of dwarves halfway out of the waterway. He groaned and turned around, in despair. He looked at the three dwarves standing on the pier in shock. "What's this? Did you miss the boat as well?" he asked.

All the emotion and activity and noise made Kili's head hurt. He started to pant, as the world became unsteady, and began to spin before his eyes. He heard his brother call his name, but it was so far…He felt the world fall away, hands grabbing onto him… It was all fading into darkness…

* * *

><p>Up in a tree on the edge of the forest of the settlement nearest Laketown on the shore, Tauriel sat comfortably on the high branch of a great tree, her legs hanging freely, her hair and light skin the only thing setting her apart from the vibrant green of the forest canopy that matched her form fitting tunic. Her astute eyes surveyed the edges of the forest floor to the south; the direction she expected the filthy Orks to appear from. The long bridge there was the only access to Laketown from land.<p>

In the distance, she could hear the trumpets and the sound of the people in the town in merriment. She knit her brows; there was no Festival of Man at this time that she knew of… A little rustle to her left caught her ear, and she turned her gaze that way.

Almost soundlessly, through the canopy, swinging on vines, vaulting like an acrobat was Legolas, his silver blonde hair flowing behind him as he maneuvered effortlessly through the twisted boughs, coming to rest lightly on his feet next to her after a rather showy leap. He leaned over to her and pulled a red, ripe apple from his vest. His brilliant blue eyes twinkled, and he smiled warmly. Tauriel could not help the grin that flowered on her face.

"Hungry?" he said.

"A bit. Thank you…" She said, grabbing the apple and taking a big bite, the sweet juices reminding her she had not eaten in quite a while. In unspoken agreement, Legolas' shifted his keen vision to the edges of the forest as she enjoyed her meal.

"The fruits are so sweet from this woodland." She mused. His blue eyes moved over to her, his look soft.

"When you are hungry, it is always much sweeter, whatever it is." He commented. He smirked at her, handing her a small satchel. "The berries are quite good too." He said, before settling in to the crook of a large bough, leaning back, one leg bent for support, his arm resting on a convenient branch. "I ate my fill already." She nodded, taking a handful of the sweet, small red berries. She sighed contently as the flavor filled her mouth.

"Autumn is the best time to be here, in these woods, remember, Legolas?" Tauriel said, as she wistfully recalled her days as young elf when, she, Legolas and Thranduil traveled together, and stayed in a secluded treehouse in the middle of the forest. "We spent much time in these trees." Legolas looked back at her with a touch of seriousness.

"Of course I remember." He said, looking back over the waters of the lake.

"I remember our little lodge; the evening mists, the stars in the dark sky against the mountain, and the warm stove." She smiled.

"And the cold waters, fresh from the spring. And the bird song in the morning." He said, a gentle, sad smile drifting over his face. "You were quite young."

"And you were quite jealous of me." She joked. Legolas looked at her slyly. Then a little smile raised the corner of his mouth. She mirrored the coy smile, then sighed."Your father seemed happier then, more than I have seen him at any time since." She commented, searching for a reaction. Legolas sighed, and his eyes lowered.

"We stopped coming here when Smaug came." He sighed.

"I know." She said. "Why?"

"My father has a severe…distain…for dragons." He said. Her brows knitted. Legolas took a deep breath and sat back.

"The dragon has not left his golden bed since then…he is not a threat to us." She said. Legolas looked at her, his face serious.

"A dragon is always a danger. You do not understand why Thranduil acts the way he does." Tauriel looked at Legolas with concern.

"Please, Legolas, I do not think poorly of your father, my King; I have great respect…" The hard stare Legolas shot her made her stop midsentence. He looked so like his father with such a cold glare, it made her gasp.

"My father has seen more than his share of war and loss. He was a young warrior during the War of Wrath, it was fierce and long and dragons devastated the legions of elves. My father was injured so severely, he suffered painful, disfiguring wounds that took centuries to heal." He blinked his eyes. "Some of those wounds are so deep, I feel they have never healed."

"That I did not know…" she said softly. Tauriel leaned forward and listened intently.

"In the next age, dark forces gathered to the east, and when it was obvious that there would be a great battle, and all the warriors were to go to with the king, my father went with them. Man and elf, many tribes, including some of the dwarf tribes, all joined forces the last great battle on the plains of Mordor, The War of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men" Legolas closed his eyes. "The battle was lengthy, bloody and devastating. They eventually prevailed, but there were many, many casualties. My father lost his father, King Oropher to the blade of a dark foe." Tauriel stared at Legolas, in a little shock. "He returned to the forest, with only one third of the warriors surviving the last battle. After his coronation, he met and wed my mother, and they spent several centuries together before I was born. And then he lost her as well…"

"He never spoke of her." She said softly.

"It hurts him too much to. To this day." Legolas said, in a remorseful voice.

"I am so, so sorry, Legolas." Tauriel said, feeling small. Legolas nodded, and he stood up and glanced towards Laketown, trying to tuck his emotions back into their hidden places…Tauriel waited silently, patiently.

"I remember Esgaroth, in its day." He said, with a grunt, sitting back down, after a short pause. "The dwarf king Thror was warned; amassing such a treasure under the mountain would lead to nothing but trouble. My father warned him personally, but Thror would not listen. And they had a falling out over the setting of the starlight diamonds." Legolas sighed. "Thror continued to collect mountains of gold like a madman, until the smell of gold caught the winged beast's attention." Legolas looked up towards the lonely mountain. "When we heard about the attack at Dale and Erebor, we marched towards them as soon as we could gather all our best fighters with great haste; but we were too late. Dale was laid to waste, the forests burned, the people slaughtered, and my father saw the dragon enter into Erebor, through the large doors."

"I remember. He bid me stay; he said I was not ready for battle." Tauriel said.

"He was right, you were not ready, then." Legolas said, knowing that fact full well, as he was the one who trained her.

"He did not go to the dwarves aid, because of the quarrel over diamonds?" Tauriel said.

"That may be partially true, but there is more to it than that." Legolas said. "My father made a rather practical calculation. He saw the carnage of the men of Dale, and he knew he would many of his forces would share in that fate before they could even start trying to pry that dragon from the gold laden mountain, and the vengeance of a dragon is complete devastation of all those who go against them. Smaug would make it a point to attack Thanduil's Halls, kill us all, and devastate the forest. If he left Smaug alone and did not disturb it; it would just sleep there for many years, leaving Mirkwood alone." Legolas pursed his lips. "But that ment Erebor would be lost…"

"But we are elves…we are not fragile like man." Tauriel said.

"But we are few in number, and infinitely more precious to him." Legolas said, the pride for his father showing through.

"So, is he afraid to fight anyone, anymore?" she asked, softly, not wanting to offend.

"Tauriel," Legolas said to her in a low voice. "My father is no coward, and will fight when he believes he must and should, but he does fear one thing," He moved closer to her. "He is afraid of losing anyone else."

Before Tauriel could say anything more, the Orks burst through the lower edges of the forest. Tauriel and Legolas crouched down, and hid among the boughs and leaves.

Legolas counted the number of Orks that were easy to see; it was over two dozen. A rather large and ominous appearing dwarf walked to the head of them, his sniveling underlings surrounding them. Legolas looked at him with immediate distain.

"_The scent of dwarf is foul in the air, Blog." _One of the subordinates said, in their brutish Ork language. Blog sniffed and grunted.

"_Yes it is. Oakenshield is there for certain. But we must wait till nightfall, or they will escape yet again_." He said, turning to the ork. "_Go, find us more fresh meat to eat_." The subordinate ork scurried off and a group of them infiltrated the forest.

"_It will not be long before my father Azog gets his revenge…"_ Blog said in a low voice, with a foreboding cackle. Tauriel and Legolas looked at each other, settling in to wait for the dark of night.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:**

**Midnight tales, ICE cream rocks, fiftyfantasies, flynalien, elves rule, distinguished guest reviewers…..Thank you, thank you, thrice thank you! (HEE HEE)**

**And we linger in Laketown… movieverse abounds. Hope you enjoy...**

**AW**

* * *

><p>It was a different sound in Laketown; the sound of laughter and celebration.<p>

News about the King under the mountain returning spread through the small, poor town like wildfire. This was just what he townspeople were craving, what they had been waiting for…hope. Hope lit the fire in everyone's hearts, awakened dreams unrealized, that there would be no more destitution, no more starvation, and that everything would start to turn around for the better. Bard did see that was what this town needed, but he did not see it happening that easily. Bard grumbled when he was awakened by people yelling in the walkways and piers, everyone running to the middle of town, shouting about the parade for the Dwarf King. First there was the noise of revelers all night, now the morning ruckus . It was making Bard more and more irritated.

Bard was more concerned about the fact that soon, a dragon would be awoken. Images flashed through his mind of the stories, or rather nightmares, that were told within his family, generation after generation about Dale. Laketown was his home now, but in all honesty, it never really felt quite right. He remembered looking into Thorin's face last night. A face possessed with a quest, one that was single minded, without concern for consequences. In a way, it made sense; the Dwarves had nothing to lose but their lives, and a Kingdom to regain if they were successful. They had traveled far and been through so much. But at what cost to others? That the dwarves did not seem to see or care…Didn't anyone in Laketown realize?

He sent out Bain and Sigrid to gather what information they could last night. Sigrid was the most successful, she ended up having had a discussion with one of the dwarves. The hobbit, a burglar? Bard knew that hobbits were stealthy, quiet, and unfamiliar to dragons…but what could he do? It made him feel a bit better that a wizard was involved; but even a wizard was no match for a dragon. But Bard remembered, in tales of old, a man, Turin, slay a dragon with a sword. It was the largest, most powerful winged fire drake, Glaurung the father of all dragons; his fall flattened three mountains. But due to the dragon's curse, that all manner of discord shall follow the death of a dragon, Turin died soon after, by his own hand. Bard hoped Thorin or one in his company would be able to perform such a feat as Turin, and if possible, they could avoid such discord. Only then would Laketown, and his family be safe.

Bard sat around the table in the early morning, eating a meager breakfast with his children. They all were silent, looking at each other and out the window. In particular, Tilda seemed the most downtrodden, pouting visibly and playing quietly with her doll at the table. She barely touched her food. Bard looked around at the long faces.

"So, is anyone going to tell me why you are all so quiet?" Bard asked. The kids exchanged glances. A few quiet moments passed.

"I wanted to go see the boat launch." Tilda said, softly. "I want to say goodbye to the nice hobbit-man, but I know you won't let us because you don't like them." She said, plainly. Bard groaned, and he turned to his youngest.

"Darling…it is not because I don't like them…well at least some of them, but I do not agree with what they are going to do, that is the issue." She looked up at him.

"But if we were there, won't we be able to give them luck, so they will win against the dragon?" Tilda asked, a childlike innocence in her voice. Bard smirked. Oh, the sweetness of childhood…

"I wish that were true, Tilda." The two elder kids looked at him, pleading. He looked back at them. "Well, I'm not going." He said, taking another bite. He looked over at Bain, then at Sigrid. He looked down. "Bain, you can go with her if you want…" he acquiesced with a groan. Tilda stood up, beaming with happiness, the she sat back down.

"If it will make you upset I won't go." She said, gripping her doll tightly. Bard shook his head.

"Seeing you mope will make me more upset than you going to see this spectacle. Go on…" he said, urging her out. "Bain, keep an eye on her." He warned. Bain nodded his head quickly.

"Of course father." He said, not trying to let his excitement show. There were precious few times for celebration in the town. Both of the children stood up and rushed to the door, but looked back at their sister. Bard looked around to Sigrid. She stayed right where she was, eating slowly.

"What about you?" Bard asked. She shook her head. Bain and Tilda scurried out the door, down the steps.

"No, Da. I'll stay with you. I already saw the dwarves I wanted to see last night." She said, nonchalantly. Bard's eyes narrowed.

"What?" he said. Sigrid, looked back at him.

"What?" she answered. A slight smile.

"What did you mean by that?"

"The young black-haired one and the blonde one were really quite pleasant, for dwarves…they are brothers, you know." Sigrid answered. Bard was shocked.

"I don't care if…. Ugh…You have never even seen dwarves before."

"I know. But they were handsome. Short, but handsome." Sigrid had a smirk on her face from her father's reaction.

Bard was speechless. It was times like these that scared Bard most; he had to admit to himself that his sweet young Sigrid was indeed a maturing young woman, and he could not coddle her much longer, for her own good.

"I'm just kidding, father." She said. Bard thought otherwise, but kept his thoughts firmly in his head. A thoughtful, serious expression drifted over her pretty face.

"Father, if you thought all the dwarves would bring to us is trouble, why did you bring them here?" she asked. Bard smirked and clasped his hands, leaning his chin on his hands.

"That is a good question indeed. They told me they wanted to go see their kin in the Iron Hills. They offered me good payment for their passage; monies I know would go far to keep us fed and clothed. Those opportunities do not come often." He groaned, and looked distant. "I did not realize he was the crown prince of Erabor." Sigrid nodded.

"Your intentions were honorable." She said.

"The road to ruin is paved with good intentions." Bard replied, morose.

"You would have done differently, had you known what they were up to." She said, trying her best to make him feel better. "But an even more important question, Da. What are we to do if the dragon does awaken?" Bard looked at her with worry.

"If that happens, child, and the fire drake turns his eyes to Laketown…we will be without a home." He said.

"We could run, go to the lakeshore." She suggested.

"Yey, that is what we would have to do…" He said, as he glanced at the black arrow hanging from the ceiling, hidden… "But there may be something else…" His voice trailing. Sigrid looked at him, eyes blinking.

"What is it, Da?" She urged, gently.

"Nothing…nothing. Just a wisp of a wish on a prayer…" he said. "Anyhow, Sigrid. This is not what should be worrying your pretty little head about. You should be taking an interest in things other than …dwarves." Sigrid smiled shyly.

"Yes father. I wish to travel, to other lands in middle earth. Meet new folk, because no one here really interests me. Maybe go someplace warmer…" she said, sighing. "And not as damp." Bard leaned back and nodded.

"We shall see Sigrid. We shall see." He said. Sigrid stood slowly, feeling as if her father was simply saying that just to silence her. They both cleaned up the wares from breakfast. He took her arm firmly. Sigrid looked to him.

"It is my job, the one your mother left me with, to take care of you all. But I fear..." he said, a caring, worried expression on his face. "In bringing this danger here, I worry I have failed her…" Sigrid leaned over and hugged him.

"Da. We know you love us." She cooed.

Just then, a sharp knock came on the door. Bard knit his brows. Bain would not knock. He rose, with a little trepidation, went to the door, and opened it. His eyes dropped down, to the level where the dwarves stood before him. His blood boiled.

"No! I am done with dwarves. Go away!" He said, and pulled the door to close it. Bofur struggled with the door as it swung closed.

"No, Please! No one will help us…" Bofur pleaded, his face stark and sad. "Kili is sick. He's very sick." Bard glared at him, then looked past him to the other three… and his face changed to that of concern. The young dwarf he had eyed yesterday was even paler, weak and groaning in pain. He was being held up by the others. Sigrid was at his side in an instant, looking out the door. She gasped.

"Da..." she said. He turned to her. "Please…we must help him." Bard's good nature got the best of him. He could not turn them away.

"I know, I know." Bard groaned. He motioned them in. "Here, come." He said, leading them in the house.

"We need to lay him down." Oin said. Bard pursed his lips and nodded, leading them to the little bedroom. They sat him down and took off his cloak and armor, and laid him down. Kili tossed and turned, grimacing. Bard grabbed a quilt, and brought it to the light-haired young dwarf beside him.

"I thank you, sir." He said, taking the blanket, placing it over his brother. "Kili, try to rest." Fili said. The old dwarf undid the bandages on Kili's leg and groaned. Bard looked on. The wound was wide, and oozing, black like tar. Oin wandered past Bard.

"Agh…By my beard, why did you let it get this bad, my boy? We need hot water, plenty of it. His wound has festered…" he muttered. Sigrid nodded urgently.

"Right. I will put some to boil on the stove." She said.

"I will…try to say still. But it hurts…everything hurts…" KIli grunted, whimpering. Fili stroked his head, rubbed his back, doing anything he could think of to soothe him. Bard backed up, crossing his arms and he scratched his chin.

"Is it blood poisoning?" Bard said. He knew that was deadly, for man. The old dwarf looked up at him.

"Yes, but not as you know it. This blood poison is dark magic ." He sighed and looked back at the young dwarf. "I have seen this before." He sighed. "We can do little but watch and wait. His body is young and strong, and may yet be able to fight it." Oin said.

"And how often do they get better?" Sigrid asked. Oin looked her way sadly and whispered.

"I have yet to see one live, without proper medicine." Oin said. Bard pursed his lips, and went looking for his store of healing herbs. A short while later, Kili started to shake and groan louder, his eyes getting red, sweat pouring from him. Fili felt his head.

"His fever has returned." He said. Fili turned to Oin, who was cleaning out the wound. "Can you not do something?"

"I need herbs, something to bring down his fever…" Oin said, exasperated. Bard rummaged through the little pouches he had in his package of medicinals.

"Nightshade, Feverfew…" Bard said.

"They're of no use to me. Do you have any Kingsfoil?" Oin asked. Bard turned to Oin, brow knit.

"No…it's a weed. We feed it to the pigs." Bard informed them.

"Pigs? Weed…right!" Bofur said, a light going off in his head. He turned back to Kili. "Don't move!" he said, then he scurried off. Fili and Oin looked at Bofur, then back to each other, puzzled.

Bain and Tilda eventually came back, shocked to find they had company again. They moved about silently in the little house, as the dwarves maintained their vigil around Kili. They were joined for a short while by Sigrid, who showed Fili how to soak rags with cold water, mopping the cool liquid over Kili's face, chest and palms, just like she did when her siblings were ill with fever. It seemed to help a bit; Kili settled down enough to go into a fitful, paroxysmal sleep, but not really a rest. Sigrid got up, and tended to making dinner for them all; and a bit of soup for Kili. Then the pain started again, and Kili writhed and groaned almost continually.

A bit later, a sound like distant thunder shook the house, and dirt dropped from the rafters. Everyone looked up and about. Bard's children looked his way

"Da?" Sigrid said.

"Its coming from the mountain." Bain said. Bard looked around, his face stark with realization. The dragon had awoken. Fili walked from the little bedroom to where Bard was, as the sounds of Kili's suffering grew louder.

"You should leave us. Take your children and get out of here…" Fili said, urgently. Bard looked around and stared at Fili. He knew his intentions were good, but…

"And go where? There is nowhere to go." Bard said, looking down.

"Are we going to die, Da?" Tilda said, walking up to her father, fear on her face.

"No, darling." He said, smiling at his youngest. She was not convinced.

"The dragon, it's going to kill us…" Tilda despaired. Bard took a deep breath and looked up, into the rafters. He grabbed hold of a long beam of iron and pulled it free of its attachments… it was a black arrow. He turned around and the children's eyes widened, their mouths dropping opened.

"Not if I kill it first…" He said. Bard and Bain left the house and snuck around in the evening gloom on their way to the Windlance.

"Alright…" Bard said, waving Bain on, looking all around for those annoying spies.

"A black arrow…why did you never tell me?" Bain questioned his father, incredulous.

"Because you did not need to know…" he said. They scurried into the shadows as a pair of guards walked by. He put his arm around his boy. "Listen to me carefully. I need you to distract the guards. Once I am at the top of the tower, I will set the arrow to the bow…" he said. Several guards were crossing a bridge.

"There he is…Bard! After him!" A guard shouted.

"Down there!" Bard whispered, urgently. "Go!" he said, pushing Bain ahead of him.

"Stop him!" they shouted, Bain and Bard ran away. When they turned a corner and were alone for a moment, Bard whipped around his son, and put the arrow in his hand.

"Bain, Bain…Keep it safe…don't let anyone find it!" he ordered his son, in rushed whispers, looking at him seriously.

"No…no…I'm not leaving you…" Bain tried to refuse.

"I'll deal with them. Now. Go!" Bard yelled loudly. Bain breathed a frustrated sigh and ran off. Bard walked headlong into one of the groups of soldiers pursuing him.

"Bugar…you are under arrest." The guard said.

"On what charge?" Bard asked.

"On any charge the Master chooses." He replied. Bard turned back around and swung hard, hitting the guard with a roundhouse punch, knocking him over. He kicked and fought back the guards coming at him from either side.

Bain gasped, seeing his father being chased. He jumped into a boat, the one at the base of the statue in the canal, and he quickly hid the black arrow.

Bard broke free and ran fast, over creaky, unsteady wharfs, through boats, much more agile than the Guards who were weighted down with armor…As he ran down a dark alley, a foot tripped him. He flew through the air and landed on a stand. He looked around, dazed and barely saw the figures of the Master and Alfrid in front of him before he felt a sharp pain on his head, and the world went black…

Some unprescribed time later, Bard woke up with his head pounding …in the jail.

* * *

><p>Creeping, crawling black creatures oozed their way over the roofs of Laketown, sniffing the air, following the scent of a dwarf who was scurrying about looking for Kingsfoil. Bofur leaned over and stole a branch from a disgruntled pig. He ran back along the causeways, unaware that he was being followed. Blog stood mightily on a roof while the rest followed around him. The Orks tracked Bofur all the way back to Bard's house.<p>

Back inside the little house, Fili was fearful, loosing hope. Kili's fingers were turning blue, his eyes widening madly, and his breathing was labored, the constant groans of pain growing into screams. It was as if a creäture was eating him alive from within, the way Kili was writhing in agony. In the last hour, Kili no longer looked at Fili as if he recognized him as his lifelong, constant companion. Fili had to hold him down tightly just to keep him on the bed. It hurt Fili deeply to see his brother suffer this way.

A few creaks above them signaled Oin that something was wrong. Then they heard Sigrid's blood curdling scream from just outside the door…Sigrid had good instincts, she shoved at it and pushed it out, trying desperately to close the door on the creäture. Another one burst through the door and swung at Sigrid, and she fell back, flinging herself out of the way, across the table.

Oin turned, throwing a stack of dishes at the next one who busted through the ceiling. Tilda screamed and did the same. Sigrid crept under the table and grabbed Tilda… Fili erupted out of the bedroom area corner, shoving an ork hard against the wall, away from the children. Kili sat up, vaguely aware of the chaos occurring around him. Oin engaged another ork, with brute strength. Bain grabbed a bench, and shoved it into one ork, and flung it into the face of another ork.

Bofur narrowly escaped one ork and his hatchet, but another one was dragging him down the stairs and he was thrown against a cart that shattered. The vile creatures were coming fast, more and more of them.

An arrow skewered the ork who was about to chop Bofur in two…

An ork uttered a death cry as he stood at the doorway of Bard's house, a blade in his chest, and he fell back…

* * *

><p>Legolas and Tauriel stalked the stalkers, smoothly, silently leaping from rooftop to rooftop a short distance behind them. The orks were so focused; they did not even know the lethal elves were fast approaching. The elves stood tall, side by side, on a tall house, red and blonde hair waving in the breeze as they watched the orks descend on a house…there was screaming and scuffling, the sound of fighting erupting within the house. Tauriel could not stay still any longer. Tauriel leaped up and forward, flipping past orks, rushing in between orks still on their way, making quick work of them with her deadly blades.<p>

"I told you to wait until we were sure!" Legolas growled, unleashing his bow on an ork baring down on Tauriel, and one about to kill a dwarf at the bottom of the stairs, spinning around to sink slice the head off of another one trying to attack him from behind.

"I'm sure the dwarves are here and we will be too late if we wait." Tauriel said angrily, throwing her knife into the chest of one ork, grabbing it, and using the same knife to slit the throat of another. Legolas groaned. He knew Tauriel just could not help herself around orks…

"Fine…I'll clear the roof of these horrid things." He said, leaping into the fray…

"I will take the more direct approach…" she said. She killed an ork who was about to block her entry…

Tauriel appeared at the front door, her eyes steely, her teeth bared, her hands wrapped firmly around her knives…she walked into the infested little house. She took note of the children cowering near the table, and the two dwarfs fighting without weapons. She looked around and her anger erupted in action. Within seconds, she spun and she delved her blade deep into the four orks in her immediate vicinity.

Sigrid could only stare in astonishment as the red-haired she-elf fought and slay all the orks around her, efficiently, effortlessly. A blonde man-elf dropped through the ceiling; his handsome face in a menacing snarl, and Sigrid gasped; he was magnificent. He became a blur of metal and brown and silver-blonde hair as he killed orks, every step he took. She saw how the elves worked in concert; the blonde elf flipped and threw a blade that was caught by the she elf, and she turned to slay another beast trying to enter via the door. Not a movement was wasted…

Sigrid looked back at Kili, as he cried out, an ork grabbing his leg. The she elf noticed as well, and spun around, a deadly, accurately aimed knife finding its target. Kili dropped on the floor confused, flustered.

"Get down!" Fili insisted. Fili pushed the children back, away from the fighting, knowing the elves had this, and it was just best to stay out of their way…The elves worked quickly, the carnage laying all the orks to waste in their wake.

Kili, in his haze, saw the blade in the dead ork, and somewhere in his instinctive warrior mind, he used his waning strength to crawl back on the bed and pull it from the body. He turned around, and saw an ork in front of him, and a blur of red and green in front of it…Kili launched himself at the ork, delving the blade in its chest. He would not go down without a fight.

But the effort was too great, the pain racking his body rose to a higher degree, and he was barely able to breathe, so he dropped to the ground, shaking…Tauriel gasped, and stood staring at Kili, her heart in her throat again; he looked so sick. He screamed out in pain…

An ork flew out of the door, leaping into a boat. Legolas went after him, and saw Blog at the bottom of the stairs, walking away. Legolas threw another ork off the balcony, dead, and chopped the head off of the one that catapulted into the air. He looked angrily at the retreating black blooded creatures…

Inside the house, Bain stood up, surveying the devastation. They were alive thought, all but the orks..

"You killed them all…" Bain said.

"There are others…" Legolas said, walking quickly through the house, his intense look fining its mark… "Tauriel…come…" he said, insistently. He paused at the door and looked back.

Tauriel had not moved…she seemed paralyzed, standing like a statue over a dwarf with black hair writhing on the floor, her face a mask of disappointment and shock.

As he looked on, realization washed over Legolas slowly. This must be the black-haired archer the ork spoke of. It was also the same dwarf Tauriel saved in the forest, and spoke with so tenderly in the dungeons, the same dwarf who was always staring at Tauriel before… Tauriel had come to Laketown looking for this dwarf.

"We're losing him!" Oin said, holding on to Kili, his voice cracking, as he looked up at the she-elf. Tauriel looked up at Legolas, her eyes wide, sad, desperate. She was not yet moving…

Legolas breathed hard…is this what had their travel, their fight had been for? He looked down at the floor. The dwarf looked to be in the throes of death. Legolas pursed his lips. Confusion flitted over his face. This did not make sense. Why would Tauriel care about this sniveling little dwarf?

"Tauriel…" Legolas said again, softer, beckoning her. There was nothing more they could do for the little imp. Then he left, leaping from the balcony onto the bridge, in pursuit of the withdrawing orks…

Tauriel pursed her lips and walked swiftly to the door, her duty to her prince calling her… Kili groaned in pain and it made her freeze in her tracks… Tauriel stood still for a second more, listening to Legolas' light footfalls as he went away, the cry of an ork being slain … She looked down and back at Kili… With a sigh, she grabbed for her knives and crouched down, about to launch herself from the balcony to follow Legolas.

Just then, Bofur marched up the stairs with a sprig of …could it be?

"Athelas…" Tauriel said, holding the precious healing herb gingerly. "Athelas…" She whispered, looking back into the house.

"What are you doing?" Bofur asked, incredulous…

"I'm going to save him…" she whispered. She turned and entered back into the house. Kili began to quake and scream out loudly…Tauriel looked around, and approached the little girl. "Quick; I need a bowl of fresh water." She looked back at the dwarves, who were huddled around Kili. "Put him on the table. I need to see the wound." She said, urgently. No one questioned her, save Bofur.

"Can someone tell me what is happening?" he said, looking about…

"Shut up and help us, Bofur…" Fili growled. The dwarves lifted Kili, who was bucking wildly like a man possessed.

Tauriel washed the Athelas in the water, rapidly stripping the small leaves off the branches as the dwarves wrestled with Kili, barely able to keep him on the table. Sigrid and Tilda reached in to help.

Tauriel looked down at Kili and she opened her heart to the young dwarf; that is the only way this would work…she breathed deeply, putting herself into a profound, healing trance. The elvish blessing would dissolve and expel the dark magic now in possession of his young body…No darkness could withstand that light.

The healing Sindarian incantation flowed from deep within her, into the air, winding itself around them, as she crushed the healing leaves between her long, strong fingers, concentrating their power. She pressed the leaves into the festering ork wound…

Kili let out a particularly blood curdling scream, his body stiffening. Fili struggled with him for a few moments, and then he noticed that Kili's body began to quiet down, muscle by muscle, relaxing, his groaning subsiding. Fili looked at his brother's face; Kili was staring wide eyed at Tauriel, and she at him. Fili backed away a little, as did all others surrounding them…

Then Kili's head fell back, and whatever remaining tension there was in his body released itself in an instant; the only way to know he still lived was the fact that his chest rose and fell with deep, cleansing breaths. At the same moment, Tauriel leaned over him, and became silent, her hands still clenched around his leg, her eyes closed shut, breathing deeply, matching Kili's breathing pattern, breath for saving breath…

* * *

><p>Kili felt as if he was chained in a dungeon, at the hands of an invisible torturer…he could barely see before his own eyes anymore. Within his stomach there were a thousand chomping beetles, ripping and tearing him apart, and his chest was surrounded by knives between each rib. His arms and legs were burning, engulfed in searing pain, his fingers and toes achingly numb. He could no longer hear the screams coming from his torn and ragged throat, but he knew he was screaming. His face was being ripped at by razor tipped claws, and his head was on fire and felt like thousands of hammers were working on his skull without reprieve, the loudness deafening…he begged internally for death, silence, numbness, anything to end this…<p>

Then, before his cloudy vision, there was a light in the darkness, one that grew brighter and brighter as it approached. Instinctively, he tried to reach out for it, but his body would not obey. He felt himself lifting, bit by bit the torture subsiding, the burning pain in his extremities being replaced by a soothing coolness, the aches in his stomach retreating, the knives in his chest falling away. The pounding in his head quieted and gave way to the subtle soft sounds of a soft female voice whispering a melodic chant like birdsong… He was surrounded by the light, engulfed by a healing warmth and he felt his body break from its bonds and float freely…

Kili breathed deeply, wanting to weep. He was finally no longer in pain, his consciousness hazy, drawing him to peaceful slumber, his eyes heavy. But he struggled against it, wishing his eyes to stay open, to see the face that was taking shape within the dimming light, as he struggled to recognize the soft eyes, the delicate features, the flowing hair as the light faded into darkness…

One name lingered in his mind as he lost consciousness…

_Tauriel.._.


	8. Chapter 8

**Authors Note:**

**Well there seems to be an assortment of ****Legoriel/ Kiliel shippers in the readers here. ****The fact remains, in Peter Jackson cannon and in this fanfic, Tauriel is a very lucky woman, to have two great men to choose from, but neither is going to make her life easy. ****Which makes Tauriel a very torn, very conflicted soul.****(And this fanfic writer too.)**

**So…I have a story in mind that I want to tell. ****It involves all the players and I hope you will enjoy it, whatever the twists and turns, whatever shippings may happen... **

**Thank you again, my dears: Icecreamrocks, fiftyfantasies, syblime, elvesrule, flynalien, midnighttales, and guests for your continued support and encouragement.**

**Constructive criticism please…Let me know what you think.**

**(Let's see if anyone can find the song reference...)**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Fili stood a little distance away from Tauriel and Kili, looking at them in wonder. He went over the last few bewildering hours in his mind, in that little moment of quiet. Just a short while ago, he saw death approaching to take his brother from him, and he was powerless to do anything about it. But here, with this small group of dwarves, Fili witnessed the mercy of both man and elf, and he was contemplative.<p>

Bard had taken them in, even after all that had happened. He saw the concern on Bard and his family's faces when Kili lay groaning, in desperate pain. Then there was the way the house on the lake shook…for certain now, the dragon was awakened. It spread worry through them all. Bard and his son took the black arrow and left… Then the situation went from bad to worse.

Bain returned, saying his father had been captured. Fili immediately felt the weight of the children's lives on his shoulders, and his brother, who was getting worse by the moment. When the orks attacked, the dwarves did what they could to defend themselves and Bard's children. Then the two elves came, out of the clear blue night, and made quick work of the oncoming tide of orks. Tauriel, the she elf warrior, stayed to help his brother even though Legolas, the other elf, ordered her to go. After she healed Kili, Tauriel softly asked Sigrid for some fresh bandages, and then she carefully, methodically tended to Kili's wound. It was all so astoundingly confusing.

Oin, being ever practical, quietly pushed the rest of the house's inhabitants away from them and ordered everyone into action. With the boy Bain, they started the disgusting, yet necessary task of removing the dead ork bodies from the house, and cleaning up the place as much as possible. Everyone was still in a state of shock, but they were doing whatever was necessary to distract them from the madness that had ensued. Oin, who had been checking on Kili alongside Tauriel, left them and walked by Fili.

"I have only heard of the wonders of elvish medicine. That was a privilege to witness." Oin said.

"Yes, it was." Fili said, deep in thought. "But why?" he said. Oin turned around to look back at Fili.

"What?" he said, putting in his ear horn. Fili pulled him back, away into the other side of the kitchen area, where Bofur was. They huddled together.

"Why do you think she helped him? I mean, we are dwarves, she is a wood elf. They hate us." Fili asked Oin. Bofur leaned forward.

"This is the same elf-maid Kili was chatting with in the dungeons." Bofur said, a gleam in his eye. "I have to say, your brother has a thing for elves. Remember him at Rivendell?" Bofur said with a guffaw, pushing Fili in jest.

"Oh, Bofur." Fili said, shoving him back. "He couldn't even tell maid from man. This is serious."

"Maybe she thinks he's cute. Like a pet." Bofur said. Oin guffawed and shook his head. The wise elder spoke…

"You lads are too young to remember. For years before, we were allies. Elves, yes, even the wood elves, and dwarves have fought side by side in the past, died together on the battlefields, back in the days of old. At the battle of the Last Alliance they fought the black armies of orks at Mordor, as one force alongside man. It was the recent squabble between two kings that led to this aridity. It was a shame, lads, to have such a thing happen." Oin shook his head.

"Agh. I still think she sees him as a pet. A little dwarf doggie." Bofur said. Fili glared at Bofur. Luckily, Oin didn't hear this part of the conversation. Oin glanced back over to where the sick dwarf and the elf healer stood.

"Whatever magic your brother made with this elf, it saved his life, that is for certain." Oin nodded his head. "Elvish healing creates a bond of sorts, between healer and healed...one hard to defile." He crossed his arms and rubbed his beard.

"What do you mean?" Fili asked. Oin breathed deeply.

"Never again will Kili take up arms against elf kin." Oin smirked. "Maybe it is better that way. There may be hope for an alliance again after all." He mused. Bofur scratched his chin.

"Well, if you want to know why she did it, why don't you ask her?" Bofur said. Fili looked over to his brother.

"I think I shall…" he said.

"Watch out for her knives. They seem pretty dangerous to orks." Bofur warned.

"But I am not an ork…" Fili walked away, shaking his head, happy to take his leave of Bofur for now.

* * *

><p>Legolas ran with strength and speed, leaping over the bridge in two bounds in pursuit of the Orks.<p>

In the distance, he could see the tall, hulking leader of this band, Bolg, barking orders, dispatching most of the soldiers to leave Laketown via the long bridge behind him, but waving several fighters to advance with him towards Legolas. Legolas snarled at the orks.

Legolas slew the hulking subordinates with some effort, and then began engaging Bolg directly. They exchanged blows and Bolg managed to slam Legolas hard into a wall. This Ork knew how to fight, that was certain, which made him more dangerous, and Legolas more determined. This was one of the commanders; and Legolas knew, if he could be killed, the others would scatter and die, like ants without a queen. But there was something more in it for Legolas. Something about this commanding ork irritated him to the point of rage.

Legolas leaped onto the hulking beast, which he grappled with, and after taking a painful iron fist to his face, he reversed the situation and pounded the large ork's head into the nearest pylon again and again, the thick wood splitting and buckling under the force of the blows. They exchanged hard hits with their weapons, his strong elvish steel clashing and scraping against ork iron; the beast managed to spin Legolas around, and pin his large arms around him. Blog squeezed Legolas tightly, trying to crush him.

"_I recognize your face and your smell, elf …I have killed your likeness before…but will your blood taste as sweet?" _Bolg growled in his ear, the putrid breath stinging his eyes. Legolas could only imagine with horror what the ork meant…Legolas felt the air being forced out of his lungs and the bones of his chest threatening to splinter under the powerful arms, making Legolas yell out in pain.

His eyes opened widely. Legolas was not your average, lithe elf; he was stealthy, sleek muscle and steely fortitude. Even as the light before his eyes was darkening in Bolg's grasp, Legolas flexed his arms and started to pound Bolg's body with his elbow. He would not be bested by this monster.

Legolas managed to struggle free. Bolg had just about enough of him, and other missions to attend to, so he fell back, leaving Legolas to face several other assailants as he left in haste. Legolas was weakened, so beating these new orks were an effort. After a particularly hard toss against a wall, Legolas was dazed, but out of pure will his knives grew alive; with elvish speed he spun and buried his knives into the beasts, the metal smashing through tough hide, bone and sinew to end the vile lives of his attackers. Legolas stumbled, dazed, and shook his head, his consciousness clouding.

He reached up to his nose…blood was dripping out. He wiped at it, shocked, and became even more incensed…

It had been quite a number of years since Legolashad gotten seriously hurt in a fight with anyone or anything. He turned his head sharply and he saw Bolg riding swiftly away, over the Laketown causeway…He took a few deep breaths and let the anger within him steel him, despite the pain shooting through his head. He found a mount quickly, and took off after the vile commanding beast.

As he rode on, a disturbing thought came to mind: _Where is Tauriel?_

* * *

><p>Tauriel tightened the bandage around Kili's leg. The healing poultice beneath would continue to heal the angry wound underneath, but she could only hope the incantation would treat the ork's poison that threatened to take his young life a few short moments ago. She had felt Kili's life's essence fading, and she pulled him back, away from the brink. Kili was already looking better. His skin was returning slowly to the normal color he once had. Tauriel looked into the distance and sighed.<p>

She let Legolas go into the fray on his own, after Bolg. That was exceedingly difficult for Tauriel to do; it was as if a bit of her soul was ripping out of her, leaping into the night, into danger without her. Legolas bid her follow, but she just could not go. Would Legolas see this as betrayal? Legolas; the fierce, quiet, intense, elf prince she had worshiped as a youngling. As she grew up, and they grew closer, they found they were well matched, and knew each other's thoughts and moves almost before they had them formulated in their minds. And she found his subtle sense of humor endlessly appealing. Legolas was an excellent fighter, but one elf against a squad of orks was not a fair fight. But, alas, the situation involving Legolas was frustration incarnate. She sighed again, her feelings bewildering her.

Maybe she was finally trying to shut Legolas out by staying behind, as she tried to when she left by herself from Mirkwood. But Legolas would not let her do either; shut him out or leave him behind back in Mirkwood. There was no denying it now; Legolas did feel something for her. It was readily apparent, in his words, his tender actions, and the way he looked at her… But even if Legolas would challenge his father to be with her, and now she felt that he may just do that very thing, Tauriel was unsure if she could let Legolas defy and disappoint his father just for her. How could she? The fate of a kingdom lay in his hands. She owed her life, her everything to Thranduil, and she could not defy his wishes. The slight stirring of the body before her interrupted her train of thought.

Tauriel glanced down at the dark haired dwarf in wonder. Kili had burst into her life just then, and she felt at ease, comfortable, drawn to him. The situation with Kili was complex as well, yet her feelings for him were clear, surprisingly intense, and immediate. Could it be his youth? His free spirit? Or way he looked at her; it was not with lust, but something different, something… more pure. That something made her follow the escaped dwarves, find him, and stay here with him, leaving behind her position, her king and her prince. What was it? She had to find out...

In the guise of a foe, here was a kindred spirit; she felt it, from the moment their eyes met. She felt free in his presence; there were no expectations, no pretenses, other than their people's history of quarrel. When Legolas bid her follow before, she just could not pull herself away initially as Kili writhed and groaned on the floor, obviously suffering greatly and near death. It was as if a strong tether held her near. And then, like a sign, the other dwarf showed up with the healing herb…Athelas.

"Tauriel…" a low, weak, breathy voice came from the young dwarf. She looked at Kili with soft eyes.

"Lie still." She said, gently. His body relaxed. His eyes fluttered open for a moment.

"You cannot be her…" Kili said, slowly, softly. Tauriel knit her brows. She realized quickly that he was still in a weakened state, delirious, apparently. "She is so far, so far away from me." He continued, voice low and slow, glazed eyes gazing up at the ceiling. "She walks in starlight in another world." He breathed what could only be considered a sad sigh. "It was just a dream." He said, with such disappointment, it was palpable.

Tauriel felt her heart beat hard in her chest; the young dwarf's words touched a vulnerable place deep within her, one yearning for more than the satisfaction of battle. She wanted to awaken him with a shake, prove to him that it was really her, Tauriel, standing here, in the flesh, beside him. She wanted to tell him that she had crossed the forest and the lake to find him, and killed countless orks to reach him…yes, for him. But the words could not form in her mouth. They remained lodged firmly in her throat.

Tauriel looked on, in astonishment, as Kili's shaking fingers found her hand with some effort, easily insinuating themselves between her own. His eyes fluttered closed, as if satisfied with what his hands had found.

"Do you think she could have loved me?" Kili whispered, his tongue loosened by the fevered confusion, the question heavy, full of yearning. She held on to his weak grasp. A painful twist in her chest was followed by blooming warmth.

Kili asked if she could love him… did that mean…

All at once, Tauriel felt shocked and flattered and delighted and upset. Now she knew how Kili felt, yet she was uncertain of how she felt, or what to do about it. She parted her lips yet could not answer. She simply held on to his hand.

"How is he?" a low voice quietly said behind her, moments later. She quickly relinquished her hold on Kili's weak grasp. Kili groaned a little in protest, even in his delirium.

She turned slowly to see the blonde, young looking dwarf round the table to stand opposite her. He was also tall for a dwarf, but not quite as tall as Kili. He looked more mature, and sported a braided moustache, a close, neat beard and full head of long, gold waves. His features were also more refined than the other dwarves, his eyes and face similar to Kili, but a lighter version.

He patted Kili's head gently. Tauriel remembered; this was the dwarf holding down Kili's shoulders, staring at her along with Kili during the healing rite. There was a pleading hope in his eyes then, and now. Tauriel's eyes floated over Kili's face and she laid several elegant fingers on his forehead, which was still wet with sweat.

"The fever has broken. He seems to be improving, but it will take some time for this leg to heal. He is not quite out of the woods just yet." she said, looking at the blonde dwarf with sincerity. He looked up at her with a pursed smile, a look of gratitude on his face. He smoothed Kili's hair.

"I am Fili, his brother." He said solemnly. Tauriel's eyes opened wide, and she nodded in realization, now understanding the similarities, and the tenderness. "There is one thing I would like to know…" His hazel eyes rose to look at her. "Why did you come here?" he asked, softly. Tauriel looked at him, then her gaze drifted down to Kili's face. She sighed.

"We captured an ork and questioned it. It told us that they shot the black-haired archer with a poisoned arrow." She stroked Kili's leg. "I knew he would die…without help." She replied. Fili blinked repeatedly and looked down at his brother.

"Thank you for saving him. I am…we are forever in your debt." Fili said, looking at her intensely. "But I still don't understand why you came all this way, to save… a dwarf?" Tauriel looked away.

"I just did what was right." She said. She finally looked up finding him staring at her. She saw the quiet sureness that enveloped the blonde dwarf. At that moment, Kili turned towards Fili and moaned, waking up. Tauriel backed away a little, out of view, and stood opposite them.

"Fili? Is that you?" he said, breathy, labored groans coming from him.

"Yes, brother."

"I thought it was…" Kili grunted, trying to get up.

"Hold on, hold on. Don't try to rise. Just keep still." Fili said, pushing Kili's shoulders back down. Kili groaned, and dropped his head back down on the bed of walnuts.

"My gods, I feel like I was bludgeoned by a thousand orks…" he moaned. Fili chuckled.

"Not quite a thousand orks, Kili." Kili blinked his eyes open to look into Fili's face for a second.

"You look exausted…"Kili said, searching his brother's face.

"I am relieved…" Fili said, with a smile, smoothing the wet hair from Kili's forehead. Tauriel was touched. Obviously, they cared very much for each other.

"Where are we?" Kili asked.

"Back at Bard's house." Fili answered, "Don't you remember?"

"No, not really, just…" Kili looked past his brother at the holes in the ceiling. "Orks… yes…vaguely."

"You have been through quite an ordeal, Kili." He said. Kili knit his brows and held Fili's arm.

"Fili… I had the strangest…dream. I saw light…and I saw… her…" Kili said blinking, shaking his head, looking into his brother's eyes.

"Who?" Fili asked, as his eyes looked towards Tauriel. "Her?" Kili followed his brother's gaze and turned around. Kili's tired, pained expression changed immediately into wide-eyed shock. "It was no dream." Fili said.

"Tauriel!?" Kili said incredulously, rising up on his elbows. "What? How did you…?" he said, at a loss for words. Tauriel approached him. She turned to see one of the other dwarves standing by her, Oin.

"She healed you, Kili. You would have died without her intercession." Oin said. He looked up at Tauriel. "Elven healing magic was needed to counter the Ork poison." Kili blinked incredulously, staring at her.

Just at that moment, the whole house shook, and a far away, but unmistakable roar was heard…Bard's son stood up and opened the door. The low sound like thunder rolling across the hills was easier to hear.

"The dragon!" Bain's face was stark and white… "He will come to Laketown…I know it!"

"If he comes here he will destroy the town!" Tilda lamented. "We are dead!"

"Not yet Tilda, remember, we have the black arrow…" Bain said, his eyes widening…"Da made me hide it earlier, but father is the only one who knows how to use the Windlance…and he is in jail."

"Well you need to get it!" Sigrid said… "But father…" Fili stood up.

"The dragon is not yet upon us, so there is time. We will help you free Bard." Fili said. The other dwarves grunted in agreement.

"It's the least we can do." Bofur said.

Fili turned back to Tauriel. He pursed his lips and looked between her and his brother. He would have to leave Kili with someone who could protect him, while he was still in this state. He would have to trust this she-elf…

"Could you stay with Kili? In your hands, I know he will be safe." Fili asked, looking at Tauriel with hope in his fawn colored eyes. Tauriel looked at Kili, who was looking between them. She looked back at Fili and the other dwarves and nodded her head in agreement. She would have to catch up with Legolas much later. Fili walked over to hold his brother's shoulder firmly. Kili blinked and nodded.

"I will come back for you soon, Kili. And then we will enter Erebor, our homeland, together." He barely had time to say it when again, there was a shaking of the ground, and a faraway roar. Everyone looked at each other. "We may not have much time…" Fili said, in a low voice. Kili clamped onto Fili's arm as he turned to leave. Their eyes met.

"Promise me you will be careful, brother." Kili said, urgently. Fili smiled and nodded.

Fili turned and looked on at Sigrid, who was pacing with her arms around herself. She avoided his gaze; but he had seen her frightened eyes. Fili pulled her aside, then stood before her, held both her arms gently and spoke in a soft, yet intense tone.

"You are the eldest, are you not?" Fili asked, his eyes soft on her. Sigrid nodded. "You need to be strong for them, Sigrid." He said. She pursed her lips and nodded, taking a deep breath. "You are brave, I know you are. And you can do this…"

"I can." She said, as if trying to convince herself.

"You should find somewhere safe to hide, and quickly. Take your sister." Fili suggested to Sigrid. Bain approached the girls and they spoke in hurried whispers.

"Pack some rations in the boat, and blankets and tarp. I will return for you with Da." Sigrid nodded her head. Tilda ran towards the kitchen. Bain looked at their younger sister. "Keep her in your sights, Sigrid."

"Yes. But Bain, if we have to leave here, I will head with Tilda to lakeshore and meet you and Da there; by the old twisted oak near the road." Sigrid said.

"I know the one." Bain nodded and gave her a brief hug. Everyone rushed around to gather weapons and supplies, and Bain and the dwarves scurried out of the door. Tauriel stood at the door after they left. She looked over the bridges where she last saw Legolas, and breathed hard, her heart aching once more. Her eyes turned to the night sky as the girls ran about the house. She blinked her eyes, not believing what she was seeing.

"There is smoke rising from the mountain…the south side…" Tauriel said. The girls came to her side, and nodded in agreement. Inside, Kili propped himself up, just enough to look out the window nearby, out towards Erebor. He knit his brows.

"What? Is it the dragon?" Tilda asked, her eyes opening in fright. Tauriel shook her head.

"I don't know…maybe." She replied.

"But he has been there all along, why would there be such smoke coming from the mountain now?" Kili asked, mainly speaking to himself. "Wait...Fire…the forges!" The girls all walked back into the house and stared at Kili. He looked at them. "The smoke from the mountain…it comes with the fire from the forges of Erabor…." His eyes opened widely, and he breathed hard. "They must be alive." He said hopefully.

"I don't know if we can assume that." Sigrid said. "But the roars do mean the dragon is awake…and angry." She continued her packing of essentials with renewed haste. Kili frowned, and his eyes started to follow the girls as they moved around. Kili took notice of a stack of blankets in the corner.

"Hold on, are those woolen blankets?" He said, pointing to them. Sigrid went and pulled them from the shelf.

"Yes, yes they are." Sigrid said, turning to Kili. "But they are heavy and uncomfortable."

"You should take them with you…" Kili said, with a serious expression. "For protection from heat and flame, as well as cold, there is none better to have." He said. Tilda squinched up her nose, looking around Sigrid.

"How do you know this?" the little one asked.

"Dwarves have learned a thing or two from tending to the fire of forges." He said, his voice low, back to normal. Sigrid nodded and turned; but then paused and threw a blanket his way.

"You may well need one, too." She said, the foreboding bitter in her tone. She disappeared down the stairs with her sister. Some time later, the girls found a place to hide on the first level near their boat. The girls exited quickly thereafter, leaving Kili and Tauriel alone.

* * *

><p>Tauriel felt she would be of better use helping them free Bard. But she knew Kili should not be left alone like this; injured, weak, and defenseless. His brother's faith in her was humbling. She gathered up her bow and knives, placing them within reach. After the girls were settled, she went back to the table Kili laid on. All the while, as they had been moving around the little house, Kili's eyes had followed her often, as if he was afraid she would disappear if he let her escape from view for too long. They were now on her again, filled with wonder, yet soft and tired<p>

"Can you stand?" She asked, approaching him.

"I'm not sure…" Kili said softly. He struggled to sit up. She helped him up, and swung his legs over the side of the table. She lingered before him, quietly as Kili breathed deeply, catching his breath. Their eyes met.

Finally, Tauriel was looking deeply into the eyes of the dwarf she had come all this way to save. There was the light, the heat, and that adoration shining again in his warm brown eyes, as she practically felt them trace her face. She felt a little flutter in her stomach. Kili looked down.

"I hope you won't end up regretting what you did." He said weakly. Tauriel knit her brows, her mouth in a small pout.

"Of course not, Kili. Why would I?" she said, shaking her head.

"Because now you're stuck with me." Kili replied, his eyes joining hers again, his face serious. A small smile came to her lips. Tauriel chuckled.

"If you promise you won't be reckless," she said, "I won't regret it."

"I promise." Kili replied, his low voice earnest, with a coy grin. His eyes rose to meet hers as he stood up.

The rumbling noises from the mountain began anew, and grabbed their attention. Kili and Tauriel looked towards the mountain. They too needed to take cover…


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's note:**

**I have chosen to leave the narrative of what happens in Erebor with Smaug out of this fanfiction and concentrate on scenes undone; I think Mr. Jackson has done a fine job with the Smaug scenes and it would just be me spending countless pages trying to reiterate his amazing imagery in written form. I can't do it justice… I may do flashbacks, important interactions between characters in the future. Now, still in Laketown but at the end of DOS…YEAH!**

**Hello readers (hides head) some of you are a bit miffed…I say read on, but I may just break your hearts. ****Or not… (Heh!) **

**Thanks again, Proud2bgeek, YumE, and esteemed guest reviewers.**

**Morgan (welcome to LMTF!)- Yes the master is a jerk, and rightfully fearful of his people.****And Legolas and Tauriel do have a complex and close relationship…they do play off well against each other.**

**Legoriel shippers: ****Fiftyfantasies-thanks for the correction. Yes, please go find out what PJ is planning for Hobbit 3…; Flynalien -don't fret, Legolas never needs backup, he just likes it…**

**Kiliel shippers: Several guests...**

* * *

><p>Bard was infuriated at the guards who would not listen to him, and they continued to drink and play cards as the sounds erupted from the mountain, despite his warnings. His pounding head did not help his demeanor.<p>

"Do you not realize what comes this way? It is the dragon!" he said, but the guards ignored him; they knew not of dragon fire and destruction. He would be here, in this cold cell, his children without him when the maelstrom hit. The whole idea was making him mad… He rattled the bars…

"Quiet down you, or we will knock you out again!" They warned.

Bard dropped down on the cot he was on before, shaking his head. This could not be happening. He felt he was the only one who had paid attention to anything, heeded any warnings told from centuries ago to today. And he was the only one with the weapons to actually do SOMETHING. The dragon was coming, and he was powerless to do anything…

A silhouette of a bird appeared at his cell window, flying around outside. Bard knit his brows, thinking it odd. It was too late and cold for such a bird to be fluttering about. The bird appeared breathless and agitated, twittering and chirping…then its birdsong came, and turned into words in his head. He jumped up and neared the little bird…it was a thrush. He gasped; His family was gifted to understand the thrush word song…

"_Thrush! Thrush! What say you_?" He whistled, listening intently.

"_I come with a message, told me by a raven, from the mountain, the mountain_…" The thrush whistled back. _"I saw them take you here, I did."_

"_And what is that message_…" he whistled back.

"_The dragon comes this way, it flies, it frightens us little ones, it flies slow but comes this way…_" It whistled, becoming agitated.

"_Take cover, take heed once your message given, fly away to hide, but is that the message?_" Bard said, his word song rusty…

"_The scale is off, under left wing, it is off, the scale under the wing, the scale is fallen off_." The thrush replied, hopping and twisting its little head from side to side. "_The raven saw it, he did, and he told me, tell the man on the lake, Bard, the man on lake…"_ it said.

"_Thanks for the message, Master thrush, now fly, fly away_…" He whistled. Bard rubbed his beard.

"So… the story, it is true…" Bard said to himself, walking back and forth in the small cell. "We may just have a chance at slaying the beast after all." Bard thought aloud. He turned to the cell door- now he definitely had to get out. The place shook with the unmistakable roar of a dragon. The cackling laughter of the guards was silenced…

"Now do you believe me?" Bard said loudly through the cell doors…

Bard gripped the bars of his cell tightly, hoping for a miracle.

* * *

><p>Bain and the dwarves tiptoed around the wharfs through the town. Soldiers were everywhere. They evaded packs of them a few times, getting no closer to the jail. Then the group slumped down together, below a bridge, frustrated and worried. Distant dragon roars are becoming louder and louder.<p>

"If we have little time, we should split up." Fili whispered to Bain. Bain pursed his lips. "Oin will go with you." They looked towards the center of town. "I can see where the Windlance is, but where is Bard, and where is the arrow?" Fili asked urgently.

"Alright. We split up. Over there, next to the clocktower is the jail where Da is being held. I can get the arrow and meet you back at the base of the building with the Wind Lance." Bain planned.

"Clocktower. Jail. Got it!" Bofur said, a little too loud, and everyone hushed him. Unfortunately, a soldier who was walking by heard them.

"Lo, who goes there?" The soldier said.

"Go!" Fili said. Oin and Bain ran one way, while Fili and Bofur ran directly towards the soldier, knocking him over and into the water. They did not stop to fish him out.

They continued on running until they reached the clocktower; and they looked around, and found that the jail was nearby. They snuck closer and Fili climbed up on Bofur's shoulders to look in the window of the jail.

"One, two, three…four soldiers." Fili counted softly. He saw the keys hanging on a hook near the door. He tried to grab it several times, but had to pull out his hand and hide over each time, because the soldiers were looking about. Fili signaled at Bofur to let him down. Fili jumped off his shoulders.

"Bofur, create a distraction." Fili said, in a loud whisper. "Lure the guards away from the jail, and I will get the key and release Bard." Bofur looked at him incredulously.

"How…but…why do I always have to…ugh!" Bofur protested in vain because Fili was already in motion.

Bofur walked up to the open door where the guards are sitting around a table. Bofur whistled. They all look at him.

"Ho now, what is a dwarf doing here now?" The guard said. "You have some nerve showing up around here…" he growled. "Away with you, before we lock you up with Bard…"

"Hello gents!" Bofur said, wondering just how he would get their attention. He looked around, and saw a bucket with some disgusting looking liquid. He smelled it, and turned up his nose. He looked at the policemen and tossed the disgusting liquid over them all. They all shot up, wet and smelly, now really angry, cursing him. Bofur laughed. "I bet none of the lot of you bugars will be able to catch me!" he said, starting to run. All of the men followed, angered, hot on his tail.

Bard looked at the guards exiting quickly after the uproar he heard but did not see.

"Oh great…now I will just burn to death if the dragon attacks this building…" Bard moaned.

"Not if I can help it." Fili said, appearing suddenly at the door of the cell, fumbling with the keys. Bard's eyes opened wide…

"I don't believe I am saying this, but am I happy to see you…" Bard said. Fili looked up at Bard, shaking his head.

"Bain said he will meet us at the Windlance, with the arrow." Fili said. He heard Bofur screaming in the distance. Fili looked outside. "I would join you, but I think I have to go rescue Bofur." Bard nodded, going to a locker, grabbing several weapons, tossing two of them to Fili.

"Lets go." Bard said, exiting into the night, to save the screaming dwarf. Bard just wanted to have as many people on his side as possible, even dwarves.

Fili raised his brows, accepting the unexpected aid, following close behind Bard.

* * *

><p>Much to everyone's shock and dismay, a loud roar echoed over Laketown, emanating from directly above. The large winged creature flapped overhead, menacingly, knocking down the flags on the buildings. Smaug's voice then boomed overhead, rattling the windows nearby, knocking down plates and cups in the houses. The dragon attack had begun in earnest.<p>

"Laketown…such a small and fragile place…everything made of wood perched on little sticks above a dark lake. And do you know what I find so amusing, little man things? What does wood do, hmmm? It buuurns sooo nicely! There will be nothing left of this godforsaken man town once I am through!" He shouted, the low rumbling of Smaug's voice shaking everyone to the core. People left their houses and looked outside in disbelief, and were greeted with an alarming sight.

The shape of a dragon against the darkening evening sky...

"How dare you miniscule mortals go against me, Smaug the great, and help those vile, ignorant, selfish little dwarves. Oakenshield has led you astray, he has abandoned you! You will be sorry you ever existed…" he said, sending a blast of fire right into the building below him. He looked around and found the statue of a man, the Master, and destroyed it with a single breath...

"You will be punished for your crime against me… Smaug the magnificent!" the fire drake bellowed. Everyone screamed and scattered. Smaug laughed, a vile, deep, evil cackle…

"Go on, scatter like the ants you are… there is no place you can hide from me….I am…your worst nightmare!" he growled, deep and foreboding, flapping up into the clouds.

* * *

><p>Bain and Oin arrived at the site of the statue, but as Bain ran out of the shadows, Oin grabbed him and pulled him back.<p>

"Quick lad! Take cover!" he shouted, and wrapped himself around Bain as the dragon blast surrounds them.

The statue of the Master was hit, and it shattered; the walkway below it buckled and heaved, exploding into fire, pushing all the boats below it away with the force of the blast. The boats floated free around the area, some smoldering, some on fire.

"Oh my gods, No!" Bain shouted, above the screams of people around them.

"What is it?" Oin said, picking himself up.

"The arrow, it was in that boat!" Bain said, fear over his face, watching the smoldering boats float away.

"You put the bloody arrow in a boat?" Oin scolded. "Which one?"

"I…I don't know anymore… it was just below the statue…" Bain said. Oin groaned.

"Well what are we waiting for, lets start looking!" he ran quickly and launched himself on to a boat with more energy than Bain expected. Oin looked back.."Well boy…come on!" Bain nodded and jumped on a nearby boat, nearly missing it, splashing into the water. He struggled up, and was hauled on the boat by Oin.

"Thank you…" Bain breathed with relief.

"Be more careful next time!" Oin warned him. He turned and jumped to another boat.

They struggled to get to the boats floating away, searching the contents of each, jumping from one boat to the next, one then the other as the dragon flew above again. The dragon launched several more attacks that shook Bain and Oin to the core, and made the boats rock violently, pushing them further and further apart.

Bain and Oin now had to row to unchecked boats, and splash water on several boats that were on fire. After searching the boats, they pushed them to shore, where frightened, screaming people were waiting for them.

Still, the boat that had the arrow evaded them, and they were running out of time.

* * *

><p>Legolas was breathing heavily as he bore down on his horse, another warg and ork before him. He made quick work of the creatures with the swipe of a sword. He was just at the edge of the forest, and Bolg was nearly in his reach.<p>

A loud roar and boom shook the air, and his horse screeched and bucked up below him. The orks and Legolas all turn around and look at the sky. There, a dragon flapped above the center of Laketown, and litup the night with a fiery blast into the center of the village on the water. Legolas gasped…

"Smaug…" he said, to himself. Bolg and the other orks cackled and cheered, heading into the forest.

"_The dragon will feast on man-flesh tonight…_" Bolg said.

Legolas looked at them, hatred in his eyes, struggling to stay on the skittish horse. He looked after Bolg, who roared at him, then disappeared into the forest. Legolas looked back to the town; already houses were on fire. He growled in frustration, then looked back into the forest, then over towards Laketown. A fear came over him…

"Tauriel…" he whispered.

Legolas heard the attack begin again, as he rode hard from the edge of the forest, back towards Laketown, over the long causeway. Already people were running over the causeway away from Laketown, slowing him down. Legolas looked up to the sky. The dragon turned his gaze their way…

"Go back, go back!" he shouted, knowing what evil lurked in the heart of a dragon. Legolas reached the Laketown edge of the causeway just in time; the dragon lit up the night and blasted a hole in the center of the causeway…some people jumped away just in time, but some bodies wentflying…

"NO!" Legolas shouted. The cries of terror from the people on the causeway drowned him out. He rode hard towards Bard's house, but soon, he could no longer ride with any speed. The crowd practically pulled him off the horse. The piers were filled with people, panicking. He jumped off the horse, and climbed his way out of the chaos by scaling a building, getting up to the roof. He looked towards the house where he left Tauriel. His heart sank as he looked along his path…

The bridge leading toward that house was blown apart, edges of the chasm still aflame. He jumped back down to the pier level, and ran along a more deserted pathway, looking for another way over there. He looked out on the water, seeing boats floating, some on fire, some filled with people. The dragon continued its bombardment of the town, lighting up houses with sickening blasts, making him jump for cover.

By chance he looked out on the water and spied a face he recognized; the young boy from the house; and a he also spotted a dwarf. Legolas never thought he would be so glad to see a dwarf…

* * *

><p>In the boats, Oin and Bain were becoming more and more desperate, frantic, looking for the arrow. They split up.<p>

"Yes! Found it!" Bain piped up, the arrow in his hand, raised over his head. Oin hooted, his boat now several meters away. Bain put down the arrow and looked around for an oar. His happy expression turned to that of concern then fear. "What? There is no bloody oar on this boat!" he said, mortified. Oin, fast drifting away, grabbed a rope and tried to toss it to Bain, but it fell short.

"Bain, start paddling to me with your hands." Oin said, trying to paddle as fast as he could towards Bain, but He was still tied to the pier by a long rope. The current was taking them further apart. "Come on, boy!"

"It won't work! We'll never get it there in time!" Bain yelled, despairing.

"Get what where?" a voice shouted, from the dock. Bain and Oin looked towards the voice. Legolas stood at the edge of a dock closest to them, but still a number of feet away.

"It's the warrior elf! By my beard, I never thought I would be happy to see you." Oin said. Legolas glared at him.

"Didn't I lock you in the dungeon a few days ago?" He growled. "The feeling is mutual, dwarf. Where is Tauriel?" he shouted, getting back to the only thing he was concerned about.

"The she-elf? She was at my house when last I saw her." Bain shouted. Legolas turned to leave. "But wait, wait! You have to help us!" Legolas turned back to the boy. Bain held up the long black arrow. Legolas knit his brows.

"Is that what I think it is?" Legolas asked.

"That, my irate elf, is the only thing that may save us all from becoming dragon barbeque!" Oin said. Legolas looked back at Bain, his eyes wide…

"It is a black arrow, the only arrow that will pierce a dragon's hide! And we need to get it to my father, at the Windlance!" Bain shouted. Legolas looked where Bain was pointing; the Windlance, now eerily lit by the burning buildings. Legolas nodded, knowing he needed to help them, for everyone in this town...

"I know what it is… I'll help you!" he said. Bain looked at Oin, who looked between Bain and Legolas.

"You have to throw it to me, and I to him!" Oin shouted.

"Why not just row to shore?" Legolas suggested.

"He has no oar!" Oin said, "And it will take too long to get to him and back again...and he cannot swim with the bloody thing…"

"What?" Legolas shouted, incredulous, growling. "Alright, alright. But throw it like your lives depend on it…because it does!"

Bain stood up, nervous, and steadied himself in the boat. He lobbed the arrow to the dwarf. Oin had to dive to get it, grabbing it just as it was about to slip beneath the waters… Legolas and Bain let out sighs of relief.

"Gods be with us, did you never throw a spear before, lad?" Oin complained.

"No, I haven't." Bain said, defensively.

"Why did you not say that before?" Oin yelled.

"Enough!" Legolas yelled from the shore. "Come on, give it to me!" Oin threw it to Legolas, with only a little more flair. Legolas had to leap to catch it before it fell in the water.

"Nice catch!" Oin cried as Bain started paddling with his hands towards Oin, the closest boat to the nearest pier.

"That was a horrible throw!" Legolas complained.

"Yes, you have to go, I know!" Oin said, waving him along. "I'll get the boy…" Legolas blinked at him with disbelief, then shook his head.

"Go, go, go! Before he destroys the whole town!" Bain shouted. pointing to the Windlance tower. "We will catch up!" Legolas nodded and started running towards the Windlance tower, the precious arrow in hand.

* * *

><p>Back at Bards house, Tauriel moved Kili to a location where the roof still existed, tucking him under the sturdy table he once lay on. He grabbed the woolen blanket that Sigrid had given him.<p>

"Are you alright?" She asked. He looked at her and pursed his lips, nodding.

In too short of a time, the telltale sounds of a dragon attack erupted around them. When Tauriel stood up, , she saw the large shadow of the dragon blacken the darkening blue sky through the holes in the wall and roof; she gasped.

The noise was ferocious, and with each pass the deafening roar was followed by explosions, fire erupting from the rooftops all over Laketown. The dragon's deep voice echoed through the town as he rained fire on the population, threatening and menacing, the people in the town unable to put up much defense. Tauriel was standing up when she saw the large hulking colossus heading directly for them, as she looked out the window. She dove under table, grabbing on to Kili, who pulled her in the rest of the way.

They could hear the cracking of the wood, as the dragon's fiery breath ripped through the ceiling; Kili barely had enough time to pull the wool blanket over them before the attack. They huddled close as the deafening roar of the huge dragon bore down on them, over them, like the loudest thunder. They screamed as the searing heat surrounded them. When Tauriel picked the blanket back up, gasping for air, all around her was aflame…

"We have to get to water!" Kili said, pointing to the half burned out staircase, now on fire, the night sky in full view because the roof no longer existed. Tauriel looked back at Kili…He was covered in ash and embers, as was she. "Go, go!" he shouted, pushing her. He put his hands on her waist… Tauriel got up, Kili dragging behind her and they wove a path out of the burning remnant of Bard's house. Once in the open, they looked around for a moment…

All around them, the flames were rising on practically every rooftop, where there were still rooftops. Where oil had spilt, even the waters were burning, red and yellow flames and black plumes rising. She looked down the indoor stairs…multiple large pieces of furniture were blocking it, thrown down from the destruction above.

"Oh my gods" Kili said, looking around, despairingly. Tauriel looked up. The dragon had flapped away.

"Is he coming back?!" she questioned.

"I daresay he is not done yet!" Kili said, as he looked towards the large monster, flapping away. "There are still houses left standing!"

Tauriel grabbed Kili's arm and dragged himalong as he hobbled towards the edge of the staircase, just outside the now non-existent door. They both looked over the rail. It was a long way down, and so many things were in the way. Tauriel looked to the side. The lower half of the staircase was in flames, burning, and on its way to falling down. They looked around the rest of the house; there was no other exit.

"We will have to jump!" Kili shouted above the inferno, pointing to the black waters. There was a very small opening clear of debris for them to land in water. Tauriel looked back at Kili with concern.

"But you can't swim-your leg!" She shouted back. Kili looked down briefly at his leg, then back up to her; his eyes locked into hers. He grabbed her hand…

"But you can swim! And there are boats still afloat you can get into!" Tauriel shook her head and turned away, searching for another way. Kili squeezed her hand, and she looked back down at him.

"No…Kili…" she said, looking into his intense brown eyes.

"Please, Tauriel, there is no other choice. I would rather drown trying to swim than burn to death here!" he said, his voice low, urgent. "Come on!" Kili insisted, almost growling. "Lets go!" Tauriel looked at him one last time, pursing her lips. She kicked down the railing. Kili grabbed the wool blanket tight.

Tauriel and Kili grabbed each other's hands tightly and leapt into the air, the world burning around them…

They landed with a loud splash, and Tauriel lost Kili's hold in the dark water. Tauriel surfaced first…She saw the wool blanket, floating near and grabbed at it.

"Kili! Kili!"she shouted urgently, treading and turning all around in the water.

Finally, a black head emerged, gasping and sputtering for air. The water was frigid…they both treaded, sucking in air. She grabbed at Kili, putting her arm under his chin and swam with him to the nearest boat.

"Hold on!" she said, pulling him to the side of the boat. He latched on, and caught his breath, his coughing quieting.

"Go on, get in. Climb on my leg, then my shoulders…Come on, quickly!" Kili said, groaning in pain, shaking almost uncontrollably. The impact from the jump had really hurt. Tauriel grabbed the side of the boat, and Kili bent his good leg at the hip so she could step up. She scampered up his body and jumped into the boat, turning around and extending her hand to help him up. He handed her an edge of the blanket, which was fast becoming waterlogged.

"Why do we need this?" She said, grabbing hold.

"We may need it for cover!" he said "When it comes around again."

"If we are here when he comes back, we are dead!" she insisted, looking up. "You need to get out of that water!" she said, looking down at him, his face becoming paler, his lips blue.

"I will. Take the blanket…" Kili said, his teeth starting to chatter. Tauriel saw it was no point in arguing with him and hefted the blanket on the boat. "Now secure the end." he said, which she did, tying it around the bench.

As she did that, Kili lifted his body out of the water by climbing the blanket, putting his leg over the edge of the boat. Tauriel grabbed hold of him and dragged him up the rest of the way. They collapsed into a heap in the middle of the long boat, breathless, trembling and numb. Kili groaned and winced in pain as he sat up.

"Oars…are there oars on this thing?" he said. Tauriel scurried around and found two oars. Kili painfully propped himself up on one of the seats in the front of the boat, and took one of the oars. Tauriel grabbed the other oar and took her position in the back of the boat. They rowed urgently, going around burning wreckage, following other screaming, shouting refugees… There was devastation all around.

"We have to get away from the town!" he shouted back at her. She nodded, and pointed towards the woods on the lakeshore.

"We can take cover in the woods…there…by that inlet!" Kili looked behind her.

"There are a few buildings where the Laketown bridge joins the shore. That is where everyone else is going." Kili said, able to speak in a more normal volume. Tauriel stood up and looked that way. The other boats in the water seemed to be headed there.

"I saw smoke rising there, too. The dragon has already been there, and will no doubt return. He will destroy everything. " She said turning back around to look at Kili. "It will be a target." she explained. "We will be safer under the cover of the woods." She suggested. Kili had no chance to refute the plan.

"He's coming back!" Kili said urgently, pointing. There, in the distance, but fast approaching was a dark ominous figure in the sky, long and shimmering, wings stretched out for what seemed a mile. Smaug let out a deafening roar. "Quick, under the blanket!" Kili said

They both rolled under the blanket as the dragon arrived…they could hear the roar and see the fire light up the evening sky. When it grew quiet again, they uncovered themselves and put out the smoldering edges of the boat that had caught fire with Smaug's breath. They hastily paddled, as fast as they could, into the inlet, and continued on in the shadows of the overhanging trees, as the explosions and screaming continued behind them, getting softer and softer the further they went up the river. Kili realized after a while that he was shaking, and he noticed his grip weakening on the oar.

Tauriel looked towards Kili. He was trembling, his skin pale. Elves did not feel the cold like dwarves did; dwarves could survive the cold but were much more able to withstand great heat. With every stroke, she saw Kili tense up in pain. She knew Kili needed to rest; he was still recuperating from his wounds, and all this activity was no good.

"Kili, take a rest. We need only go a little further along this river. I know of a place we can go." She said. Kili looked back and shook his head. She put down the oar and sat next to him. He looked at her, eyes sunken, breathing heavily. There was that bashful look again.

"I cannot let you do it all, Tauriel." Kili said, his voice low.

The onset of pride, though unnecessary in this situation, Tauriel understood begrudgingly. She gathered up the wool blanket, which had largely drained out. It could still provide some barrier to the cold, even if damp. She draped it over him, rubbing his shoulders. She leaned in close and spoke softly.

"Kili…you are injured. I need you to conserve your strength because you will need it. We have to walk a ways in the woods. I cannot carry you on land, but I can row us both…" she said, close to his ear, hoping he would see the logic in it. He looked back at her and blinked a few times. Kili pursed his lips and nodded.

"Alright…" he said. He pulled the blanket around his shoulders. "See? I told you we should have kept this thing." He said, smiling weakly.

"You were right." She said, with a smirk, standing up and taking her place again in the rear of the boat, rowing further up the inlet.

"Where are we going?" Kili asked, looking around the darkening woods. Explosions echoed; disturbing the relative quiet.

"There is an old elf lodge a bit inland. It is hidden, high in a tree, up on a hill. We used to stay here when I was a youngling. We can take shelter there." She said. She sounded certain, yet inside, Tauriel was just hoping the lodge was still there.

Tauriel failed to inform Kili that it was the King's travel lodge, and that her stays there were from happier days, when she spent time alone with Thranduil and Legolas, days full of freedom and frolicking, laden with memories. They had not used the lodge much lately.

Kili looked back at her, and then behind her. He gasped, his face the mask of regret.

"There is an evening glow behind us. But it is not the setting sun. It is Laketown, burning. Just as the prophecy said. " He moaned, sadly.

"Prophecy or not, none can really know the will of the dragon. But with his slumber disturbed, one may say Laketown's fate was sealed." She said.

"We did not intend for such a thing to happen..." he said, despondent. Tauriel looked down at Kili, and felt badly for him. His kin was the cause of all this, their quest, the reason for the dragon's ire. She chose not to voice her thoughts.

_You are very different from your uncle, Kili. This is not your fault. Thorin is steadfast and bitter, unforgiving and unwavering. _

Kili pursed his lips and looked down, playing with the edges of the blanket between his fingers.

"I wonder how the others have fared…" he mused, partially to himself. "It would be no use looking for them now, with the dragon still attacking and all." Looking up to her, a question in his eyes. Tauriel nodded in agreement.

"No, we should lay low for now. We can search for them a bit later." She said, looking back. "When you are better able to travel." Kili nodded in agreement.

Even though she gave no notice, she too was worried, her heart heavy; she wondered where Legolas was during all of this.

They sat quiet in each other's presence, each wrapped up with their own thoughts for a while. As they moved along, Tauriel looked at the form huddling before her; Kili was looking all around and about, his sharp eyes catching every movement of the trees as they swayed with the breeze in the darkness. Tauriel smirked to herself as she got into an easy paddling rhythm.

Despite it all, something inside of her was very satisfied that she had saved this young dwarf.


	10. Chapter 10

Kili breathed in deep and tried to quiet the tremors in his body. He had never felt this cold before in his life. He was usually the young upstart ready to tear off his clothing at the mere sight of the sun, and he loved the winter, snows and ice more than his brethren did. Baths in cold water he considered refreshing; though admittedly, there was much difference between a cold bath in the Blue Mountains, and jumping into the ice infested waters of the lake, and remaining in the same dank, wet clothes. The wool blanket now on his shoulders gave little reprieve; at least it kept the wind from whipping his skin and making him even more frigid. How he wished for the warm rays of the sun now, even the weak ones that warmed the skin little on a winter morn.

He rocked a little, listening to the constant splashes of the oar hitting the water behind him. A too-close roar grabbed his attention and he looked back for a moment. He lifted his good leg over the bench in the boat and sat sideways, so he could continue to look back easily. He could no longer see the mouth of the river into the lake; the gentle bends had hidden the carnage he knew was happening in the town on the lake not so far away. He still could not believe they had escaped it. Right now, reality seemed like a perverse dream with a nightmarish bent.

Kili also could not believe who he had ended up with. He had checked back several times before, just to make sure she had not changed into anyone or anything else. But yes, it was still Tauriel, the she elf warrior, there behind him, rowing the little craft they used for escape. He looked up into her fair face, and she looked down to him. Her expression was usually stony and stern, those perfect elven features graced with the bottomless sage green eyes, just like when they were captured in the forest, until she looked down at him; then is when her eyes softened a little.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"As good as I can be." Kili replied, with a little uncontrolled shudder.

Was it the cold, or just the situation sending chills down his spine? In the last few days, his descent into the sickness caused by the ork poisoned wound made the feeling of illness and pain pervasive and almost expected. He was thankful for the sudden turnaround in his health; he was definitely feeling worlds better, but not quite back to normal. He was still astonished at who it was that healed him.

"We should be there soon." She urged. Only a gentle smile graced her lips, and she continued rowing. He nodded and looked to the far bank…

If anyone would have told him he would be where he was now, alone with the red haired elf that had suddenly invaded his dreams and taken a firm grip on his heart he would have called them a liar. It happened so fast this day; he woke up from his torture, pain relieved by a light, an angel, he thought, only to find out it was her all along…how could this whole situation be possible?

But Kili was rather pleased with this part of his particular reality, and would not question Tauriel her reasons, for fear that they would not be ones he wanted to hear. If only this could have happened in the backdrop of something less awful than the devastation of Laketown. He looked down and brooded. He was deeply worried about his brother…where was he? Had they gotten Bard? Had the dragon gotten them?These questions ran about his mind, and did not let him truly enjoy this moment.

Fili and Kili had been by each other's side most of their lives; as his brother was a mere few years older. They did not know life without each other in it. They spent much time alone while their mother, Dis, worked and did the things necessary as a sole parent caring for two active, fast growing young dwarf boys. Kili was always the little one, the joker, the talker and the one more willing to take chances. The favor his uncle showed Fili engendered some mild, childish jealousy when they were younger. The fact that Kili eventually grew taller, bested his uncle with the bow, his mother's weapon, while Fili remained fighting with knives helped quell those feelings, but when they left home on their adventurous trips, and faced danger together, he realized his brother was his rock, and Kili let go of his childhood misgivings. Knowing Fili was facing this dire danger alone, without him, was making Kili fretful.

Maybe Kili should have been more concerned about where he and Tauriel were going, but he was not. He felt it easy to trust her wholeheartedly, without question. Whether or not that was a good idea still was yet to be seen, but Tauriel did not save him, three times now, just for mal intent, Kili was fairly certain of that. But that begged the larger question... why did she save him, again and again? Tauriel seemed intent on taking him somewhere, and he really had no better options. Nor did he mind her company.

He looked back again, because the color had changed in the sky. A strange, low roaring noise began, and was increasing in volume…unfortunately, Kili recognized it. Dragon breath.

"Tauriel…look!" He said, with some questioning urgency. Tauriel whipped her head around in time to see Smaug's fiery breath claim the treetops behind them along the edge the lake, his large head swinging side to side, a stream of fire spewing from his jaws. Tauriel gave a little gasp and increased the force of her paddling directed to the shoreline. Kili took up his paddle and started to row again. They neared the shore.

"Take cover!" Tauriel shouted.

Kili felt the heat above him as Tauriel grabbed him, dragging him out of the boat near the shore. He fell into the shore's shallow waters as the flames surrounded them.

* * *

><p>To be honest, Bard did take great pleasure in knocking the piss out of those who once held him captive, but he did not linger as much as he desired in doing it; he helped to grapple the dwarf named Bofur quickly away from them, and left the so-called soldiers groaning in pain on the dock.<p>

Bard was actually impressed with how the dwarves fought, especially Fili, one of the brothers Sigrid spoke of. When the two of them engaged the group holding Bofur, Fili expertly fought off one soldier just as he threw a weapon to Bofur, who grabbed the club quickly and began using it without a moment lost. They rushed right at their foes with abandon. Some would call it bravery, others would call it brash, but it was obvious these dwarves did not have much fear of anyone or anything.

Fearlessness is an important attribute of those who wished to fight dragons, Bard supposed. Bard was begrudgingly content these brave dwarves were on his side, but he knew his own valor and skill would be soon tested.

Bard ran ahead of the dwarves towards the tower. He looked around briefly; no son in sight. He leaned back and looked up at the Windlance, up on the roof, set as a black, angular shadow against the burning town, ready and waiting for him. He ran to the front door, but stopped short, finding it blocked by debris; another building blasted apart like tinder that had been thrown against the front door, blocking his way in.

"Of course…" Bard said, under his breath. But this was too important a mission to let anything deter him. He started to scale the side of the building.

Bofur and Fili arrived at the Windlance tower just in time to see Bard struggling up, arriving at the second story terrace. Bard covered his eyes and kicked hard, breaking the window, disappearing from their view. By this point, everyone in the town was frantic and running all directions, screaming, trying to get away on anything that floated. Fili and Bofur were barely noticed, but they noticed that too many people were trying to get on to the same boats, and the boats were capsizing, chaos was all around. Fili and Bofur continued to search all around, hoping to see Oin or Bain. All they could do was wait, however impatiently.

Legolas stayed above the fray by climbing the buildings and taking to the roofs, but the path to the tower that bore the Windlance was only accessible via roof by circuitous route, and he constantly was dodging dragon blast. Legolas cursed to himself.

"Now why did I turn back? It was a fine idea, was it not?" he thought aloud, before launching himself off one roof to another with the aid of the black arrow. He landed on the next roof and scampered to the leeward side as Smaug blasted the other side…that one was close…

Bard climbed the stairs rapidly within the building, praying against all hope that Smaug would continue to spare this particular rooftop. A few last breathless steps taken, and he arrived at the top. Bard quickly threw a dark curtain on the windlance, one he tore off from the broken window below. He figured it would only be a matter of time before the fire drake recognized the contraption made specifically to kill dragons. Breathing heavily, he leaned over the edge of the terrace, looking south, hoping he would catch a glance of his son with the black arrow. No son, and the only dwarves the saw were the ones he came with. Fili and Bofur stood at the front of the building as Bard looked down.

"Where is my son and the arrow?"

"He said he would meet us here!" Fili shouted back.

"Why did you cover the windlance?" Bofur asked, pointing.

"Because if the dragon sees it he will blow it up to smithereens and we will have no chance at all to kill him!" Bard answered. "Bloody dwarves…" he murmured to himself. He spoted a light haired elf leaping along the roofs towards him.

"By the gods, first dwarves, now elves in Laketown! It is the end of the world." He muttered to himself. He looked down and finally spotted Bain.

"Bain! Where is the arrow?" He shouted. Bain, breathless, pointed towards up to the left, towards the elf. Bard hurriedly crossed the tower and looked over the edge. The elf was now only a rooftop away. His mouth dropped open and he rubbed his eyes.

"Ho now? Aren't you the prince of Mirkwood?" Bard said, blinking in disbelief. "What in creation are you doing here?" he shouted.

"I have asked myself that same question a hundred times this night already… But more importantly, I take it you need of this." Legolas said, holding up the arrow. "Or else we will all be but ashes soon…"

"Send it to me!" Bard said "We are running out of time!"

"Are you sure you can catch it?" he shouted,

"Even if I have to catch it with my own body I will do so today!" Bard said.

"That, I would not recommend." Legolas replied.

Everyone ducked as the dragon flew overhead again, the rush of wind nearly knocking Bard off of the tower, nearly blowing Legolas off the rooftop. Legolas stood up.

"Arrow coming your way!" he shouted. Legolas threw the arrow, landing it in the terrace, the long piece of metal clattering on the boards. Bard picked it up, practically in tears. He looked over the edge at the dwarves and his son, who were looking up at him.

"I need the dragon to fly above me, with its left wing over the tower!" Bard shouted to them all. "We have but one shot!"

"Why does he need to fly with his left wing over the tower?" Legolas questioned, running over a burning roof and leaping off just before it caved in, heading for the roof of the Windlance tower.

"There is a bare spot under the left wing where a scale has fallen off…"Bard replied.

"Isn't that just a fairy story?" Legolas said, coming to rest on a nearby terrace, crouching down.

"No it is not…a little bird told me…Oh never mind, I can't explain now…you just have to trust me!" Bard said, crouching as well as Smaug zoomed overhead. Legolas looked up at him and grunted, lips pursed. Once Smaug passed by, Bard and Legolas got up and looked over the edges of their respective perches, to talk to the rest of their party, who had scampered out of hiding.

"Alright then. We will just have to lure the dragon this way, so he flies north to south on this side of the tower…" Fili shouted to the two up above.

"How do we do that, Heeere dragon, dragon dragon...?" Bofur said to Fili, throwing his arms up. Bard looks down at him with daggers in his eyes…

"Now there's a good idea…" Legolas says, bitterly.

"I understand the feeling…" Bard murmurs to Legolas, in a low groan. "As much as I agree with you, Master Elf, we may be able to use that distain to our advantage." Bard said to Legolas, who knit his brows and looked down.

"Hey, all you dwarves…"Bard shouted out.

"Yes?" they replied in concert.

"The fire spewing beast is not very fond of you dwarves right now, that is for certain… he will certainly try to kill you if he sees you." Bard said.

"I think that goes without saying…" Fili shouted back…

"So why is he saying it?" Bofur said, looking at Bard suspiciously.

"Run down that pier…maybe he will see you and go after you." Bard suggested. "It will take him in the right direction."

Bofur does not take it as the jab it is, and he nodded excitedly and started to run down the pier. Fili, on the other hand, glared at Legolas and Bard, but also turned and started to run behind Bofur, pushing Oin along.

"Come on Oin, we have to play catch me with a dragon …"Fili said.

"What?" Oin said, blubbering incredulously. Bard looked on as they left..

"I have to admit. As dwarves go that light haired one is not so bad." Bard said, loud enough for Legolas to hear. Legolas looked at Bard incredulously. "My daughter thinks him kind…"Bard then reconsiders.

"Really?" Legolas said, in a loud whisper. Bard pursed his lips.

"Make sure you yell and wave your arms!" Bard shouted after the dwarf dragon bait. Legolas stifled a laugh, but his joviality was quenched by the reappearance of the dragon in the skies…

* * *

><p>After another few minutes, once the fire died down above them, Tauriel pulled Kili to shore, surprised that the twisted old tree on the bank that they used as a landmark still existed. Again, soaked to the core, the two of them hurriedly dove into the thick forest. The trip inland would take only a few minutes normally, but with Kili needing to rest often, it took some time. His wound needed tending to badly, but Tauriel did not want to risk stopping just yet. The pain in his leg was getting difficult to bear, Tauriel could see, but Kili did not complain, not once. He valiantly tried to push on, despite the fact his body was growing less able to comply. She held on to him tightly, and took on as much of his weight against her as she could, her arm under his, his arm around her waist. As they walked together, something struck her as peculiar…<p>

Tauriel was not one to have much casual physical contact. As a matter of fact, physical contact had grown to be unnerving for her with most people, except for Legolas, who did not do it often…and now Kili. Except for when she was a child, when Thranduil frequently carried her and Legolas often and play-fought with her and tickled her into fits of laughter, she had grown unused to accepting the touch of others. She now had little physical contact with anyone save that needed to fulfill daily tasks and fight. Elves were known for their deep and spiritual love, but were not known for their displays of affection, not like dwarves were.

Looking back on this day, Tauriel was surprised how easy it was for her to jump into his arms; Kili and her latched on to each other, back there in Bard's house, as the dragon's deafening roar echoed overhead, huddling together. She was not unnerved when he embraced her, held on to her arm, grabbed her around her waist, wrapped his hand around her hand; she was surprisingly comfortable with all of it. She at first just dismissed it as a product of the deadly situation, by need, like now. But walking through the forest, she reflected on the fact that Kili's arm around her felt firm and reassuring, strangely comforting.

Even though she doubts he would remember it, she did: His hand searching out hers in a state of delirium, his very personal question and his fingers finding hers; the whole moment; it touched her deeply. Maybe that is why she was so comfortable with Kili's touch. She knew how he felt…

The lodge was barely visible, overgrown with vines of ivy, camouflaged amongst a glade of trees up a hill. They navigated the partially hidden path to the base; a tall, wide tower of a tree. She cleared off some vines and visions of long ago memories invaded her brain. She walked around it, searching, slashing foliage. Finally, there they were, the multiple slats of wood secured on the side of the tree that served as foot and hand holds to the entrance up high in the canopy, hidden above their heads on a landing.

"I am not sure I can climb that." Kili said, looking up with a worried expression. He was already barely able to take weight on his leg. Tauriel looked up.

"I know. But I have an idea." She said, looking at Kili, who was leaning against a nearby tree. He collapsed back on it and panted. "Wait here for a few minutes." She said. Kili nodded, leaning forward, a smile drifting over his face.

"Well, I was thinking of running back to Laketown for a moment, but I can stay here instead." He joked. Tauriel gave him a little grin, and then turned her attention to the tree. She scaled up the stylized ladder with ease. When on the front landing, she hacked away some overgrown vines. She opened the front door, the elven seal releasing like a vacuum.

The lodge was empty, everything motionless within, neat, just as they had left it the last time they were there. The place was surprisingly still in good shape. The floor was covered with the remnants of old fronds of cedar, to deter pests, while everything else was covered with sheets and blankets. She grabbed a few blankets, and pulled them outside, not wanting the dust to stay in the Lodge. Tauriel paused only a second to light a small oil lamp. The flame of the old lamp sputtered to life. She raised it and the memories of her younger days there flooded her. She shook her head, returning herself to the present and walked to the back of the first room. She scurried up the short stairs leading to a small loft with several beds. She rummaged around and found it…a large roll of elven silk rope, many times stronger than it looked. She put it over her head and carried it out to the landing.

Tauriel quickly found the thick branch with a smoothed out area on its top. She tied one end of the rope to a big bough, and threw the coiled rope over the branch, the end falling to the ground, landing near Kili, who grabbed it.

This was how the elves used to lift things up or down from the high lodge, now a good two stories off the ground. She figured she could use this method of lifting to help Kili climb.

"Tie it around your chest." She shouted down to Kili, who nodded and complied.

"What? You are going to try and lift me up? I don't think that will be possible." He said.

"No, Kili. You will climb up the best you can, and I will act as a counter weight" she said, getting close to the edge. His face paled.

"What happens if you let go?"

"I won't let go. I promise." Tauriel said, pulling up the slack as Kili approached the ladder. She wound the rope around her arms, behind her back.

"Alright. I trust you…" Kili said, starting up. "As if I have a choice." He said to himself.

Tauriel pulled the rope as Kili moved up, taking as much of his weight as she could, choking up, readjusting her hold when he held on to rest in between.

The ladder was made for an elf's long legs. A nimble dwarf like Kili would not have too difficult a time climbing it in normal circumstances, but now, the climb was just painful. It was slow going, but they fell into a rhythm.

"You have done this before." Kili said, the strain showing in his grimaces.

"Not with a dwarf at the other end…" Tauriel said, groaning with the effort.

Eventually, with the last pull, Kili crawled onto the landing and collapsed. Tauriel dropped to her knees and crawled over to him.

"You are a lot stronger than you look…" he said, as he turned over.

"You are a lot heavier than you look…" she said, kneeling next to him.

"I don't feel very well…" Kili said, starting to shake, weakly trying to untie the rope around his chest. Tauriel sat up and untied the rope the rest of the way. She put a hand on his head, and looked down at his wounded leg. The bandage had fallen down, and the wound was again open. Streaks of crimson ran from the bandage, saturating the fabric below it…Tauriel gasped.

"You are very cold. …and you are bleeding badly." She said, alarm now growing in her chest. Kili's eyes fluttered, as if he was about to lose consciousness. She grabbed his face.

"Kili! Please, please stay with me! We have to get in out of the cold…" His eyes refocused on hers. He nodded weakly. The dark of night was upon them.

Tauriel managed to stumble in the lodge, dragging Kili with her. She threw him down on a nearby couch, and piled some thin blankets on him. She hurriedly gathered up the cedar branches, clearing a spot in front of a small potbellied stove. She put Kili on the pile of blankets, and piled blankets around him. Kili shivered.

"You…need to get out of those wet clothes…I think." She said, sitting down and looking at him. He pursed his lips and nodded. She scurried away with the small lamp, climbing up to the loft. Tauriel rummaged around an old chest and found a clean towel, a plain shirt and drawstring trousers and that looked like it could fit Kili.

She ran back down with them and took her place in front of Kili as he fought to stay sitting up. He fumbled with the ties in front of his shirt, his hands white and cold, barely able to move. She waited for a moment then untied the ties for him. He looked into her eyes as she did it. She paused for a second.

"I can help you change…" she said, softly. Kili nodded, and looked down.

"You didn't have to do that, Tauriel." He said, his low voice soft, full of pain.

"I cant just watch you watch you struggle, Kili." She said, gently, looking into his eyes. He pursed his lips and nodded.

She helped him take off the dirty, soaking wet shirt in the low light of the single lamp. She rubbed his cold, clammy skin dry with the towel, Kili shivering all the while. As she did that, she did manage to glance at his compact muscular build, and feel the sparse patches of soft, downy dark hair on his arms, chest and stomach, even though she was rubbing him down quickly. She expected to be wiry and hard. It was something different for her; elves are practically hairless.

She helped him put the shirt over his head and secured it. A few seconds later, already Kili's shivering had quieted a bit. She untied the bandage on his leg as he fiddled with the waist tie, in wordless agreement. She let him do that part; he was already blushing, even while he winced in pain. She helped him take off his pants, doing her best not to look up, handing him the towel to dry off privately. She took the wet clothes and hung it out to dry near the front of the lodge.

She spent some time looking for bandages in the cupboards, as Kili pulled on the pants, moving the blanket over his waist and hips. Tauriel noted that his legs were covered with the same soft, black, sparse curly hair. She turned her attention to his wound, which was wide and black and dirty, angry. As Kili winced and grit his teeth, Tauriel cleaned the wound as best she could, with an old tincture she found in a cupboard.

"Thank goodness, it has stopped bleeding." She said, covering the wound with fresh bandages, binding it loosely. She patted it. "I will need to put a dressing on it, but I can't find the herbs I need in the dark. It will have to wait till tomorrow." She said. He smiled at her in appreciation, laying back and wrapping the blankets around him.

"Well, thank you for keeping my dignity intact." He said. "I have not been naked around an elf maid before…" he said softly.

"I have not been around naked dwarfs ever." She said, then smiled. "But…I have to say, you turn did turn a rather interesting shade of scarlet." Tauriel said. She laughed out loud when Kili shook his head and the color graced his cheeks again. He was smiling though. She stood up and He looked at her expectantly.

"You have to get out of those wet clothes too." He said.

"That, I can manage on my own." She said, "Thank you…" she said, walking past him, exiting to the relative privacy of the loft. She looked back at him with a smirk before climbing to the loft. She was happy to hear his sense of humor returning.

"Well, that's just not fair…"Kili said, under his breath to himself, looking her way.

The lodge was shadowed and dark, lit by the one, small lamp sitting on the table nearby. Kili shivered, still feeling quite cold, looking at the pot-bellied stove before him. He looked about but there was no wood for burning that he could see. What he really wanted was to sit before a roaring fire.

Trying to distract himself, he surveyed the rest of his surroundings; it was well built, this lodge. The stove before him he was certain was built by dwarves; the casted iron metalwork was intricate and functional. The ceilings were vaulted with the finest wood, the walls covered with a fine white covering, the floors oak and flawlessly smooth. There were shelves everywhere, little objects placed on them. Behind and alongside the stove were neat cupboards, and shelves with all kinds of cooking and serving utensils, all of the finest quality. If he had to guess, Tauriel and her family were of some high stature, no doubt.

Several minutes later, Tauriel walked quietly back down to the room, tiptoeing. Tauriel was now dressed in a light colored, close fitting tunic with shimmering, silky leggings pulled on beneath. She had her long, fire colored hair loosely secured in a braid that fell around her shoulders. He kept still, but his nearly closed eyes followed her as she walked silently around the room. From where he was laying, she could not see he was looking at her. She slowly, quietly pulled sheets and blankets off of the tastefully ornate, sturdy furniture, being careful to not make too much noise. He stayed still and breathed deeply, allowing her to think that he was sleeping.

He still could not believe, he was there, with Tauriel, alone in some treetop lodge in the forest. Kili looked on in wonder, watching the way Tauriel moved, floating, smooth and lyrical, like a dancer, the way that elves naturally moved. It was mesmerizing. She stroked the furniture gently, her face painted with a gentle sad smile. She picked up and gently wiped away the dust from a few little things, with little gasps of remembrance. Under the low light, he examined her delicate features, the almond shape of her eyes, the gentle pointed chin, the softly pouting lips. He felt his heart beat harder, then ache. As the moments passed Kili felt more and more enamored, yet still felt she was worlds away from him, despite her kind ways with him now.

_You are being foolish, Kili. This elf would never look upon a dwarf as...anything. Not like how you are looking at her now, thinking about her. I am just torturing myself. Maybe I should just worry about the others in Laketown…But there is nothing I can do for them now, not in this state. _

_But I can hope to be friends with her, yes? Is not that what we already are?_

Tauriel finally came around quite close to him, to where a little broach like object was laying on a shelf, gold and green as she turned it in her hands. He saw it sparkle with his sharp vision, jeweled and enameled, two leaves entwined. She picked it up, wiping it off tenderly.

"Legolas…" she whispered, a sigh arising from her lips.

Kili closed his eyes tight and looked away, his heart now feeling as cold as his body.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:**

**I really hope I did this one right. Sorry it took so long. ****Thanks for the reviews Anon 787, fiftyfantasies, lexielewie, Ice cream rocks, syblime.**

**Welcome to LMTF, new readers. **

* * *

><p>Back in Laketown, the gruesome attack from the skies continued. The horror of the attack was more terrifying because the night had come and darkness was upon the town. The dragon flew cloaked in the black of night, attacked with stealth, and all the eyes raised to the sky knew not where to look, knew not where the rain of deadly fire would come from next. Smaug even lit up the banks of the lake, as if wanting to discourage those wanting to flee, to keep the people of the town in a torturous state of helplessness.<p>

Like most things, those who were least frantic were those who had a plan of attack; Bard, Legolas, Bain, and the dwarves, while all the others in the town were wallowing in despair. It mattered not at that moment if they would be successful or not, just the fact that they thought they could do something to alter their fates gave them the strength of purpose to do what was needed. Bain began to scale the building, to join his father by the Windlance.

The dwarves began their duty; they ran along the piers to the north and south of the towers, shouting and drawing attention to themselves, and Smaug followed, growling with anger.

"Hey Lizard! You missed me again! " Bofur chided, before taking a headlong leap into the cold waters. Within the cold lake, he turned around in the water, just in time to see the water boil from the fire above. Bofur swam to air through the heated water. Smaug roared in rage, and circled around.

"I will destroy this town to rid this world of you vermin! Vile dwarves!" Smaug bellowed.

Fili stood solidly, a short stack of muscle and resolve some ways away, eyes focused on the dragon's silhouette as it was lit up by the fires below in the distance, the light glistening off the scales and outstretched wings. He shouted loudly, jumping up and down on one of the wharfs and waved his hands, goading the specter heading right for him.

"So why is it that can't Smaug the Great kill a few dwarves?" Fili said, in a low and strong voice.

"He must be losing his touch!" Oin shouted, the elder dwarf some distance beyond him…

"It must be more like Smaug the frail! Ha!" Fili said. "Maybe you should slink back from whence you came…" Fili continued, as he started to run, the throat of the dragon glowing with dragon blast.

Back up by the windlance, Bard looked over as Bain joined him. Bard nodded his head solemnly.

"That one, I am sure the dragon will eat first." He said, eyeing Fili. Bain looked back at his father with concern. As the dragon careened by, Bard looked at the dragons side as it passed. There it was, the bare patch, clear as day, under the left wing…he turned to Bain. He saw it too.

"It's true! It's really there!" Bain said, incredulous.

"The missing scale we all heard of…" Bard nodded solemly.

"Insolence! You will be sorry you ever drew breath!" Smaug warned, before releasing his rage upon the next dwarf. Fili had barely enough time to step to the side and straighten his body to fall deep into the frigid waters to escape the fire blast aimed at him.

He swam down further, to avoid the dragon's frenzied claws in the water. The dragon stomped on several wharfs, and they buckled and splintered under his immense form. He reached up and flapped his wings, launching himself into the dark night again.

"Bard!" Legolas shouted from the terrace nearby. "As much as I am enjoying this, the dragon continues to destroy the town!"

"I will get him on the next pass!" Bard said.

"The next pass?!" Oin shouted. "We will all be charred by the next pass!" Bard looked back down.

"I have seen the bare spot…" Bard explained. "I can kill him but we have only one shot!"

Oin groaned and muttered to himself as he helped Fili out of the water, who was gasping for air. Oin filled him in on the plan. Fili looked down the pier to Bofur, who was extracting himself out of the water as well. Fili looked up at Bard. He pointed his outstretched hand at Bard, his eyes dark and angry. Fili did not know how much longer they would be able to avert death for this…

"Man MUST make the mark this time!" Fili warned, in a low, loud voice. At that moment, he had an air about him reminiscent of his uncle Thorin.

"No one wants that more than l…" Bard replied. Fili ran behind Oin down the pier.

Bard uncovered the Windlance in a swift move. Bain reached over his father, putting his hands on the lever and together, they pulled back with all their might the ancient gears groaning with resistance. The windlance worked eventually, as it was designed to, and with a final clunk, Bard locked the powerful mechanism into place. He loaded the long, heavy arrow into the machine. Bard stood behind it, at the ready. The dragon, in full-fledged fury, was a sight to behold, even though a living nightmare.

The dragon circled around and visibly reared up at the sight of the dwarves, who had all gathered together.

"Run out of the mountain by dwarves! " Fili shouted with irreverence. "Who now is king under the mountain?"

"I will show you who is king of your destiny! Death!" Smaug bellowed.

They continued to deride the dragon, running their way, as the dragon flew closer, make large circles in the air. They were doing all that was possible to escape the fiery breath as the houses blew up in their path, leading Smaug in and along as the remaining piers exploded into flame. Their bravery almost made Bard feel bad about what he said about the dwarves before…almost.

"He is moving too fast! I will never get the shot!" Bard yelled out to Legolas.

"I will try to slow him down, buy a few seconds." Legolas yelled back. Bard looked on as the dragon flapped their direction.

"A precious few is all we need." Bard shouted back. Legolas nodded in understanding and scampered over several roofs, launching himself down to a high pier. He landed with his spirited, elven grace, stood up defiantly and pulled an arrow from his quiver, lining up his bow. He locked his arrow on the target; the fire drake's only weak spot other than the bare patch: The dragon's eyes.

The dragon roared overhead, spewing fire, his heavy tail smashing spires and roofs, completely distracted by the scampering dwarves.

Legolas released the arrow.

With an ear splitting screech that made all around crouch and cover their ears, the dragon reared up in pain, flapping his wings to stay aloft, the elvish arrow falling away, having done its damage on the dragons eye.

"Take the shot!" Legolas shouted to Bard, as the wind from the large wings threaten to blow him away. Bard steeled himself behind the windlance.

"Bain, tell me when he comes!" He shouted, from behind the Windlance. Bain leaned over the edge of the little terrace. The dragon is low over the town.

"Not yet!" Bain shouted, at first. The dragon lurched forward, and the great wings rose up…"Now!" Bain yelled, barely able to get the words out before the force of the wind from the dragon's wings nearly knock him over…

Bard pointed the windlance with his impeccable skill on the moving target, his years of wielding a bow coming to fruition in that one moment…

"Now!" Bard barely got a good look at the dark spot under the wing… but he fired. The black arrow flew through the air, and time stood still.

The arrow found its mark, sinking deep into Smaug with a sickening sound like a hatchet through a log. The sound that next comes from the dragon shook the earth, all remaining standing were knocked down, covering their ears from the deafening scream.

The dragon flapped uncontrollably in the throes of death, spiraling up into the air, a continuous stream of fire streaming from its mouth and from the furnace under his wing, now torn open by the arrow…Smaug flapped up, up, up into the air, screeching all the way, the fiery ribbon following him into the low lying clouds.

Finally, the sounds ceased, and everyone stood up, looking up into the air…. A ball of flame exploded in the clouds, then the body appeared over the town, falling down with speed…

Everyone barely had enough time to brace themselves before the body crashed into the water. The impact of Smaug's body sent a shock wave blasting through the air, followed by an impact wave of water rushing towards the town...

* * *

><p>Tauriel had checked on Kili before returning to the loft. He seemed comfortable, tightly curled in a blanket, and he was sleeping so she decided not to disturb him. She crawled back into the loft and lay down, and then went into her meditative state, exhausted from the occurrences of the day.<p>

In this state, her hearing was heightened, so later that night, Tauriel heard multiple tapping noises on the roof above them, and it grew in intensity to a constant tap tap tap. Tauriel looked outside through the round crystal window of the loft, and saw what it was. It was hail falling against the window. She unhooked the window and swung it open, putting her hand out to catch the small, cold, wet spheres. It was somewhere between ice and rain.

_At least there would be something from the heavens to put out the fires of Laketown tonight_, she thought, sighing. She shook her head, thinking sadly of all those without shelter this night. _It will be a cold, bitter night for those who have survived the dragon…if there are any survivors. _

After some time, the cold quiet permeated the lodge as night wore on, and Tauriel heard a thump, then a whimper. She got up quickly and tiptoed downstairs. By the weak light of the little lamp, she saw that Kili now was in the middle of the floor, shaking, curled tightly in a ball, the blankets pulled about him, his eyes open wide and glassy. He was very, very pale.

"Oh, gods…" she said, approaching him quickly, and reaching his side in a few quick strides "Kili…"

Kili's breath was showing white in the air. His body was ice cold. Tauriel knew enough about dwarves to know they should not be that temperature, ever. She realized only then that the temperature in the lodge had fallen to near frezzing. The thin blankets over Kili were doing no good. She tried to make him move, but he continued to shake and moan, dark circles around his eyes. Could it still be the poison of the orks in his blood?

"C…cold…I… I'm so cold…" he mumbled.

Tauriel chastised herself; she should have known better. As a wood elf, she would not feel the cold until it was freezing, but not dwarves; they lived in homes hewn out of the earth, places constantly kept toasty and warm, and wore multiple layers of clothing to keep them guarded from the elements. Being tenders of large forges, they were much more resistant to heat than cold. Here Kili was, wearing nothing but a light covering, laying on a cold wood floor in the frozen lodge. His body, already weak with injury and loss of blood, was unable to warm itself, something she saw earlier after their climb. He needed to warm up, immediately. She looked around for wood to light the stove but she could not see any. And anything outside would be wet now. She grew frantic…

Tauriel closed her eyes and recited an incantation that raised her own temperature, one that would keep elves alive in the bitter cold, even during ice storms… She placed her now quite warm hand on Kili's cold forehead. He gasped and put his cold hand over hers. His eyes blinked at her with recognition.

"Tauriel…"

"Kili, can you get up?" she asked. His eyes focused on her.

"Tauriel…I'm so cold…" he said, shaking. She stood up and dragged him up with her, limping along with a little help from Kili, up to the loft.

The only reason Thranduil had built a loft was because elflings stayed there, first Legolas then her. Elflings felt the elements more when they were young and small, less so than other beings, but more than elves who had reached full maturity. The loft was designed to capture the heat from the stove as it rose. Without the stove, the only way the loft would warm was by the heat of their bodies, as it was a smaller space than the rest of the lodge. She lay Kili down on one of the soft, cushioned mats on the floor. He curled into a ball, moaning, shivering. She ran back down to the main lodge room and grabbed several thicker blankets. She spread them over him yet he still shivered, his face pale, his body still ice-cold.

"Better, but…still….cold…" Kili said, chattering, looking at her through barely opened eyes. She leaned over, stroking his forehead, resting her hand against his cold neck. He gasped, and lifted his shoulder against her warm hand. "Your hands…are like fire…" he murmured. She could feel the blood pumping through the vessels beneath, rapid and weak. Then it dawned on her… She stood up and walked around him.

Tauriel gingerly picked up the blankets and slid under the blankets herself, moving her body alongside his. Kili stiffened up, but groaned deeply as her warm body neared his.

"Tauriel?" he said, turning his head around quickly, looking at her. "Wh…what are you doing?" he said, softly, a searching expression on his face. Their eyes connected.

Tauriel looked at him tenderly, her expression was more of concern than anything else. She smiled gently, her eyes searching his. They both felt a little awkward about this; each in their own way. Tauriel was again surprised how comfortable she was, with even this quite intimate position, with this dwarf.

Kili was just flabbergasted, his heart thumping wildly from her proximity. Up close, she was even more beautiful, her skin radiant and flawless…he swallowed hard.

"I will need to be as close as possible to warm you up. If you don't mind." She said. "Just stretch out a little, turn your back to me. " Kili blinked at her in disbelief…

_If I don't mind? Are you serious? Why would I mind being this close to you, the elf warrior maid who has possessed my thoughts, lived in my dreams since I first saw you? _He thought. _Now I am certain this is a dream…_

"Alright." was all he said, however. Kili complied, turning his head back around, stretching his shivering body, much against its wishes to stay curled, wincing as he moved his injured leg.

Tauriel pushed herself tight up against his back, her legs against his, her arm around his shoulders, moving around until his body fit snug against her. As with most elves, her legs were quite long compared to her upper body. Kili, like most dwarfs, even tall ones, had a torso that was proportionally longer, his legs shorter. Lying together like this, their upper bodies actually fit together well, like they were two pieces of a puzzle. His body was tense, trembling, with spasms making him stiffen up intermittently. She held on tightly, as she felt the firm cold of his back and leg muscles pressed against her.

She rested her head against his, her face pressed against his hair. She inhaled. Kili smelled like a smoky campfire and earthy, damp moss, as well as a hint of musky spice. It was not an unpleasant scent; not anything like what she had been led to expect about the tales of smelly dwarves. Kili groaned deeply as his shivers quieted.

"Oh my gods…you have no idea how wonderful this feels…" Kili whispered, eyes fluttering. As much as Kili would have enjoyed this position next to Tauriel in a much different way, any other time, now he was just relieved that he was finally feeling warmer, the numbness in his extremities melting away.

_Actually, I do know…_ Tauriel thought silently to herself.

She continued repeating the incantation softly, the heat being drawn away quickly by Kili's cold body. In a short while, Kili's shivering ceased, and his breaths became slow and steady, his body relaxing bit by bit under the warm covers.

"Thank you…" he breathed out, like a sigh.

"Do you feel better now?" She closed her eyes and moved her arm down around his chest, her palm feeling his heart beating slower, his breathing more regular; the skin on his chest warming up nicely under the thin shirt. Slowly, Kili slid his arm next to hers, and rested his hand on hers…Her eyes opened and she gasped a little. Even though their bodies had been pressed together, that was for survival. This touch…this was more personal.

"That depends…"he said, his low voice vibrating in the chest beneath her fingers, sounding more like his normal, low timbre.

Tauriel raised herself up on her arm, leaning a bit over him to see Kili's face, shadowed in the low light of the old oil lamp. His eyes were closed, the muscles of his face relaxed, his skin fast regaining its normal glow, his dark hair tumbled around his head. She glanced down at their hands, his skin darker than hers, as his fingers curled to gently stroke her hand. She felt a strange flutter in her chest; she was mesmerized by how sweet, how good those gentle little touches felt…

"Depends on what?" She asked. Kili turned his head and his eyes opened, blinking slowly. Tauriel smiled. The glimmer in his eyes had returned.

"Will you move away if I say yes?" He said, his eyes meeting hers.

"No…" she said. "I…I don't want to see you to get that cold again."

"Then I do feel better." He said, resting his head back down, his eyes closing,

Kili felt as if he was floating in that dream again, when he had been healed back at Laketown. But unlike then, now he knew the face of one who saved him, the one now lay by his side. But she only was this close to keep him warm. She only cured him, and was caring for him because he was injured and weak…that was all, he was certain. He knew he should not read much more into her actions.

Yet that did not stop him from savoring every second, drinking in her presence, feeling her body move against him with her slow, steady breaths. He moved around a little, his warming skin capturing the sensations of her body against his through the thin clothing, but this time, they produced more pleasant sensations. Little flutters in his stomach, a lightness in his head…

_You have no idea what I am feeling, do you, Tauriel? I could die, here wrapped up in your arms, like this and be quite happy with that. _ He thought, as his body temperature continued to rise. _This feels almost too good…_

"How did you do that?" he asked, quietly, to distract himself a bit.

"Elvish medicine…" she said.

"Of course." He said, yawning. "Owe my life to it now." He laughed gently. _I owe my life to you…_

"Kili..." Tauriel said, "You should try to sleep. You need to rest. I will look after you."

"You need to sleep too." He said, softly, his tired eyes fluttering closed. With all the comforting warmth surrounding him, he could no longer resist; his body was finally succumbing to sleep.

"Elves don't sleep." She said. He turned his head around to look back at her.

"Really? How do you rest then?" He asked, trying hard to resist the heaviness now taking over his eyes.

"We go into a state of meditation, where we rest and heal our bodies as needed. But we are wakeful and aware of our surroundings. We can do so for days, if necessary."

"Well, that is a shame…" Kili mused softly.

"Why is that?" Tauriel asked, her brows knitting.

"Because you don't get to dream." Kili said, letting his eyes close.

"We dream while awake." Tauriel said, her voice echoing in his waning wakefulness. He smiled a bit, knowing he was well surrounded by his own wakeful dream.

"I see…" Kili moaned in understanding, seconds before he drifted off.

Never before had Tauriel witnessed someone falling asleep. Tauriel saw his face relax and heard his breathing become shallow and gentle. She wondered what it felt like, this sleep. One thing she could see was that it brought a calm over the dwarf before her, one that spread from his face over his entire body; even the hand stroking hers ceased to move. Yet his eyes moved as if looking at a private inner world behind his lids. She lowered her head back down, moving around behind Kili, putting herself in a more comfortable position, putting her arm under her head, settling in. She stroked his arm and held him close, her cheek against the back of his head.

She had never been this close to a dwarf, or an elf; not like this. She went back quickly into her own meditative rest state, fully aware of the rhythmic movement of his body as he breathed, the feel of his skin as it warmed, more of his spicy, musky scent filling the air. Just Kili's proximity filled her head and body with new sensations, comforting as well as mystifying. How wonderful it felt, to be next to someone like this.

The fact that this particular someone was a young dwarf named Kili beside her made it…exciting, somehow.

But no less confusing.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:**

**Thank you again readers for your sizeable patience with me. I was not sure how to go about this chapter, but here it is. Let me know what you think...**

**Thanks for the comments Lisse oloori, Elodia 9000, Ice cream rocks, Big fic fan. **

**AW**

* * *

><p>The wave washed across Laketown. Fili, Oin and Bofur grabbed hold of nearby pylons and held tight as the frigid water washed over them. The wave sent everything not nailed down into the water, but its power dissipated as it barreled through the town. Fili collapsed on a pier once the wave passed, and looked around. A smile crossed his face and he stood up, but the smile dissolved quickly. Around him was so much devastation, he could barely take it all in without falling to his knees. Bofur and Oin found their way to his side.<p>

"By my beard.…" Oin gasped.

"Heavens, it is all gone…" Bofur said. Fili was speechless as he turned around slowly.

Parts of buildings, boats, wares and all manner of debris littered the waters and the shattered remains of the town as far as he could see. Survivors were clinging onto boats and floating things, righting themselves on partially burned out wharfs and piers, but those not so fortunate were floating in the waters, a macabre tribute to Smaug. As people recovered their footing, the shouts for help began. And as if to mock all those still alive, the tops of the buildings still burned above the washed out debris, some of the flotsam still alight, lighting up the dark waters of the lake. Fili sensed a sinking sensation in his chest as he searched the horizon for the building they all came from earlier; Bards house. He found it, and gasped…it was engulfed in flame.

"Kili!" Fili uttered, desperation in his voice, as he took off the direction of the burning building. Oin and Bofur followed quickly behind.

They arrived near the house, unable to reach it because the causeway connecting it was destroyed in the middle. Fili looked helplessly at the upper level of the house, the flames rising into the dark night. He heard screaming coming from the building. The burning timbers above seemed on the verge of collapse.

"Hold on!" Fili shouted to those screaming within.

"Come lads, come on!" Oin said, struggling with a long, thin plank, pushing it over the gap in the bridge. Fili scurried across, but by the time he reached the other side, the plank splintered and he barely made it to the other side with a leap in the air as it shattered. He briefly looked back, as Oin and Bofur looked on.

"Go, Fili, go!" Bofur urged him on, as he and Oin struggled with a longer, wider plank. Fili ran up to the base of the burning house, using his arms to shield himself from the falling debris. He went to the door but could not open it at all.

"Kili? Kili!" he shouted. "Who is in there?" The screaming within verified at least the two girls were within…

"Help!" Tilda screamed… "We cant get out!"

"There is something against the door! We're stuck!" Sigrid shouted above the din of the fire.

"Back away!" Fili shouted. He had to get into that room, and get them out. He backed up, looking around for an axe or some metal weapon. On the ground, he found the bludgeoning tool Bard had before, the crowbell. He picked it up and started to use it to batter down the door. The door splintered but did not break.

"The roof…its falling!" Fili heard the terrified girls scream. Fili knew he was running out of time. He heard cracking timbers above, and threw the tool aside…He backed up and rammed the door with his body repeatedly. Finally, the door broke apart and Fili fell into the room. Sigrid barely had enough time to help him up before the doorframe behind him collapsed. Fili grabbed the girls and kicked at the opposite wall, the timbers splintering.

"Come on, now!" he shouted as he grabbed both girls and pushed them through the hole in the wall, one then the other and they jumped into a boat at the other side of the wall. Fili barely had enough time to dive through the hole in the wall before the whole house collapsed in flame behind him.

* * *

><p>Bard and Legolas screamed out, rejoicing at the dragon's death after the wave passed, but that was short lived. They looked around them, in dismay, at what was left of the town.<p>

"Da!" Bain shouted. "Our house is on fire!" His voice was cracking with distress, his pointed hand outstretched. "The girls are there!" Legolas looked that way as well, knowing that was the last place he saw Tauriel.

"Oh no…" Bard gasped, turning and running down the stairs of the tower, leaping out of the second story window. Legolas was already well on his way.

Bard ran up to the bridge, where the dwarfs were already struggling with a large plank to cross it, he leaned down to help. Legolas took a running start and leaped across, launching himself off a sturdy dwarf shoulder, and stabilized the plank on the other side. Bard ran across and looked on as he saw Fili break into the lower level of his house. Then a severe cracking noise came from the house and they all stopped in their tracks. Legolas turned just in time to watch as the house buckled, then crumpled into a burning heap before their eyes…

"No!" They all screamed in concert. Bard dropped to his knees, in despair. Bard gripped at his chest, and let out a low groan of pain. "No, no, no…" he said, grief taking hold. He dropped down. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Da…look!" Bain said.

A small boat with three figures could be seen on the other side of the remains of their house. Bard held his breath.

* * *

><p>Behind the burning house, the girls struggled to pull a soaking wet dwarf onto the boat. Fili pulled himself on the little boat, sputtering and coughing.<p>

"My brother!" He screamed desperately, turning quickly to the girls "Where is he?" They looked between him and the house with shock, the expression on their faces answer enough. "There?" he asked, his voice straining. They looked to each other, tears coming to their eyes.

"H…He was there, upstairs, with the elf maid when last we saw them…" Sigrid struggled out. Fili looked at the now collapsed house in fear. Sigrid gasped. "I…I didn't see anyone leave…"

Fili crumpled into a heap within the boat.

"Sigrid? Tilda?" The girls stood up in the boat when they heard their father's urgent cries.

"Da! Bain!" Tilda screamed as the group staring at their burning house from the other side came into view as the boat drifted. Sigrid grabbed and oar and rowed closer to their entourage. Fili slumped over the edge of the boat, the implication of what had happened making him ill.

Bard paced impatiently, surprised and thankful at hearing his youngest's voice, and seeing his eldest rowing. The little boat pulled up to the pier, and Legolas sat down to steady the boat as the girls were lifted onto the small pier, looking on with seriousness. Fili, who was sitting still in the boat, appeared shaken. Fili's eyes rose and locked on to Legolas; his eyes widening as he shook his head slowly, his head lowering.

"She…she healed him. She was with him…" Fili said slowly, his eyes lowering. Legolas felt a sense of dread permeate him.

"Who?" he said, but Fili looked away. Legolas knit his brows and looked back at the girls, needing answers.

Bard grabbed his girls, hugging them tightly, overjoyed to have them in his arms again. Sigrid seemed very upset, and sniffled on his shoulder. Tilda leapt into her brother's arms.

"My dear? Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Bard said, his eyes searching over her body, holding her face, wiping away the tears and dark charcoal smudges with his thumbs.

"No, Da…I'm fine.." she said, and then turned to look back in the boat. "But…the dwarf…Kili…and the elf…" she said, between sobs. "They were …" Sigrid did not finish her statement. The wave of understanding permeated the group, and they all stared back at the destroyed house with renewed dismay and horror. Legolas stood up and ran towards the burning timbers, his face a mask of anger and despair, his eyes searching through the wreckage.

"Stop! You will just burn yourself trying to look through it…" Bard shouted, as he walked up closer to the distressed elf. Legolas turned his head back quickly and glared at Bard , crystal blue eyes blazing widely. He grunted loudly in frustration, his hands balled in fists, and then he walked away down a pier. Bard turned solemnly to look at Fili, who was still sitting in the boat.

Fili was helped onto the pier by his fellow dwarves, who patted his shoulders with teary compassion. Fili walked closer to the place he last saw his brother and stared at the house, arms to his side, the mask of anguish painted on his face . They stared, wide eyed as the remains of Bard's house burned and fell into the water, the flames sputtering out. Fili groaned audibly.

"I'm so sorry…" Sigrid said, softly. Fili's eyes rose to meet hers, and he stumbled back away from the pier to join the other quite upset dwarves. Bard found it hard to address the sadness and loss permeating his little group. Legolas was still standing on the pier, motionless as a statue, his strong arms crossed before him. He was possessed by his own despondency, looking toward the settlement on the shore, where most of the boats were heading.

_So…Tauriel had stayed at the house, and healed the dark-haired dwarf…and was with him during the dragon's attack._ Those facts bothered Legolas immensely.

"If Tauriel was with him…" Legolas said, his voice rough, speaking with difficulty, "Maybe they managed to survive the attack. Maybe they somehow escaped and took a boat to shore." Legolas said, as he turned to look at Fili. Legolas was halfway between hope and fear, as he looked the light-haired dwarf, the memory of what had happened earlier in the house still clear in his mind. Bard pursed his lips and looked hard at Legolas, nodding.

"That is a possibility." Bard said. Fili's eyes brightened up a bit. Bard felt badly; he did not want to give false hope, but he knew there was as least some hope that the elf escaped. But the last time he saw the sick young dwarf, he doubted he would last the hour much less a dragon attack.

"We have to go to shore, we have to look for them!" Fili said, becoming a tense ball of emotion, extremely upset. Oin and Bofur held him back. Bard strode over to the distraught dwarf.

"Look, I understand your pain, but realize this; dwarves will not be a welcome sight on those banks this night…" Bard warned, putting his hand on the young dwarf's shoulder. Fili looked up at him, frustration in his eyes.

"I have to find my brother." Fili insisted. Bard pursed his lips and leaned down. Already, people in the waters are nearing them, shouting out about the dwarves who were seen near Bard.

"For what you and the others have done for Laketown, and my kin this night, Fili, I will go look for your brother and protect him, and advocate for you. But, I insist…It is best you and the others head leave now to join Oakenshield, before the rest of Laketown demand your heads." Bard said, a serious expression on his face. "I cannot protect you from their ire for long."

"Fili, he is right. We should go…" Bofur said, pulling Fili towards a boat.

"Come on lad. If he is alive, we will catch up with him later. Bard will make sure he is safe. Come, before we will be unable to leave at all…" Oin said, looking around. Fili looked back at both dwarves with desperation. They returned looks of sad assurance. Fili swallowed hard. Oin and Bofur quickly but somberly, got into a boat and waited for Fili.

Fili stood despondently, staring at Laketown, the shore, and each person on the little pier. Sigrid approached Fili slowly.

"You are the eldest, right? Someone wise once told me to be strong. Now it is your turn…" Sigrid said softly. Fili blinked at her. She hugged him and he wrapped his arm around her. Bard grunted uncomfortably.

Fili nodded, and with a heavy sigh, he turned to join the other dwarves.

"Tell him…tell The King Under the Mountain what has happened here…" Bard shouted after him, his voice cracking as he looked all around at the burning houses, and broken wharfs, people still fleeing. Fili looked back, apologetically.

Right then, at that moment, all dwarves were guilty.

"I will tell Thorin of the disaster that has happened this day." Fili said, turning quickly and jumping into the boat.

The other dwarves started to row quickly, away from Laketown as Fili looked longingly at the remains of the town on the lake, his heart broken, his eyes searching undendingly for that familiar short, slender form, a head full of dark brown locks…

* * *

><p>Tauriel jumped when the body before her moved a little while later that night. She had to pull back a bit to avoid getting jabbed by Kili's limbs. His body shifted completely around, until he was facing her. He was then lying with his head on his arm, curled up against her. His other hand found its way in between them, his fingers curling against the soft fabric of her shirt. She knit her brows and waited a second. Was he up?<p>

Then Tauriel looked at his face. Kili's eyes were still closed, and while he was moving, a little crinkle appeared between his brows and he grunted a bit. Tauriel looked down as his legs rubbed against her, and his body shifted so that one leg was off the other; no doubt to put less pressure on his wound. Then his stirring stopped. He sighed after a deep breath and his expression soon changed back into that relaxed look of sleep. Tauriel was confused…having never slept herself, she did not know that people sometimes moved around in their sleep. She was fairly certain, however, that Kili was indeed still asleep and unaware of his tossing.

Under the blankets, it was now quite warm and cozy. Her presence was no longer needed, yet she lingered. This closeness was intoxicating. Tauriel looked on as Kili slumbered, fascinated. She put her hand on his; his skin was warm, certainly a more normal temperature for a dwarf, she imagined. The sky outside was getting brighter, slowly, signaling the coming of dawn, and it brightened the loft so she could see more of Kili's features.

His appearance puzzled her. He had a wide, tall forehead covered by wisps of wavy, dark hair. His eye brows were sculpted and dark, but not bushy and they did not protrude from his skull like the others. Long lashes graced his lids and there was a slight glow on Kili's cheeks now. Her eyes wandered down his slender nose, to the slightly full lips and the chin with a subtle cleft. Then there was the dark shadow of hair that rimmed his mouth, and peppered the strong jawline. She mused on him a moment.

Of the set of dwarves they had imprisoned, Thorin, Fili, and Kili looked more like each other, and less like the other dwarves, and those she had seen from the Blue Hills, the Iron Mountains; not that she had ever seen many. Kili in particular had very fine features. The other dwarves had rounded faces, more bulbous, long noses, protuberant features and thick, rough hair that covered their faces and heads. And then there was the shape of his body, which she had gotten to know a bit, given what she needed to do to warm him. Kili was relatively muscular, yet evenly proportioned, his muscles well-defined on his chest, back, arms and legs; he was not stocky and squat like the other dwarves. The thick layers of clothes he wore when she first saw him made him seem broader and stouter than he actually was, and she figured that was precisely why he dressed that way.

If she did not know better, Tauriel would have sworn that she was lying next to a man, not a dwarf, except for the fact that his ears were slightly larger, and a little pointed, and his limbs shorter. She reached out and stroked a wayward lock of hair away from Kili's forehead and, after a little hesitation, she touched the short shadow on his cheek. Just as she suspected; the hair on both was soft, like the hair on his arms and legs. Kili moaned a little and Tauriel drew her hand back quickly.

She stared at him for a few more moments, and then looked away, towards the window, becoming buried in her thoughts. Why was she so fascinated by him? She had to admit it, she liked being with this young, tall dwarf; lying like this, she had gotten closer to him more than probably anyone else in her life. What conversations they had thusfar were pleasant and bespoke a connection she did not think possible between such different peoples…but were they that different? She sighed. Yes, of course they were.

Suddenly, Tauriel felt a little rise of anxiety arise inside of her. She pushed the blankets away, off her body. She moved slowly away from Kili, tucking the blanket back over him as she righted herself. She froze for a second as she heard a soft sound come from him, a little groan as if in protest. But when he was quiet again and she stood up, backing away. She sat with her back against the wall nearby and rested her arm on a bent leg, wondering why she was suddenly feeling such apprehension. She looked back over to Kili. Something about this situation was bringing up unfamiliar feelings of tenderness, worry, and vulnerability. Having lived for the better part of 600 years with controlled, tightly regulated emotions, physical distance and subtlety, the warmth and openness of their interactions, her enjoyment of his touch, the strong feelings she was having for him was altogether…unnerving.

* * *

><p>Kili took a deep breath as consciousness returned. He opened his eyes slowly, blinking. On him were multiple soft, thin blankets, he was warm…oh yes…how wonderful it was…warmth. He lifted his head and looked around the little room. It was colored the light pink of dawn, the walls curved up to a vaulted ceiling. The light was filtering in from a small window.<p>

As his eyes took in the low light of the room, he blinked as the figure sitting in the corner came into view. It was Tauriel, and she turned to him with that controlled, stoic expression. Her red hair cascaded over her shoulders, bound by neat braids on the sides, in direct contrast to the forest green outfit she now wore. He scanned her entire graceful form, his eye catching the glint of a hilt of a knife in a sheath, strapped to her waist. He caught his breath, and felt his heart flutter again. Kili he couldn't help himself; he stared back at her, wide eyed, a shy smile forcing its way on his lips. He still could not believe what had happened last night. Not that it was much, but it was enough to make him become completely and utterly enchanted with her by this point…As if he was not before.

"Good morning…" Kili said, in an awkward greeting. What else do you say to someone who you barely know, yet have just slept next to all night?

"Actually it is not. Morning, that is…" she said, correcting him. Kili's heart warmed as a small smile crept onto her face as she looked away. "You have been asleep for quite a while." she said, looking back at him.

"Well then…" he said. "Good afternoon it is then, I gather." He said, bringing himself up to a sitting position. Tauriel's smile turned into a smirk. Kili leaned forward, and groaned a little, stretching his arms and moving his legs.

"And how are you feeling?" She asked, leaning forward, towards him. Kili knit his brows and his hand rubbed over his leg, where the bandages were.

"Just sore…but much better." He said, "Thanks to you."

"I still think we should dress your wound properly, and put on a healing poultice on it soon." She said, moving closer to him. "Just so it will heal faster. It is a very bad wound." He looked up to her. She was acting so kind and pleasant, but when her eyes met his, she looked away quickly.

"Whatever you think is best." He said, earnestly. She looked down.

"I will be back shortly." She said, getting up abruptly. Kili looked on behind her, as she disappeared down the stairs.

Was it him, or was she acting a bit strange suddenly, he pondered. He looked at the area she had vacated, and it felt like he just lost something very precious from their interactions. With all they had been through, was she having misgivings about everything, about him? But why? No, this bit of strangeness just would not do…

* * *

><p>Tauriel had taken several small trips out of the lodge while Kili slept, always returning after a short while, just so she would be there when he woke up. She did not know what he would be like come morning; he could wake up sick or disoriented. She cleared the cedar branches from the floor on the main level and opened the windows for some air, and had taken off all the coverings on the furniture she figured they would eventually use. She had even found the small shed outside with dry wood, and had brought some in. After this, she opened the tall armoire in the main room where the weapons were stored; she took a knife and was able to get a bow into functional order rapidly. She tried to work the water pump inside, but it did not draw water; she had to retrieve water on another foray from the spring that was in the mountain above them. Tauriel had seen some Atheras next to the trail they took in, so on another venture, she collected that and a satchel of those scrumptious berries. She had been wondering if Kili would ever awaken…<p>

Once Kili woke, as Tauriel had expected, he was a little disoriented but he seemed in better health than the night before. But when he looked at her just a few moments ago, she saw that wide eyed wonder and adoration that she had seen before from him, except more intense. She noticed the shy little smile and could almost feel his eyes move gently over her face, like soft, smoldering touches… The connection was almost palpable. It immediately made her cheeks feel warm, and made her feel vulnerable.

Tauriel ran down from the loft after, to retrieve the poultice she had prepared but when she held it in her hand, she stopped for a second, almost afraid to get close to Kili again. She was afraid of her own feelings about it all. It was one thing to know someone felt strongly about you, and to see it; it was quite another to start having those feelings yourself, despite your uncertainties and sizeable issues. A heart is a tender thing for an elf; they frequently resisted emotional ties just to protect themselves from being hurt; it usually took centuries for them to become comfortable enough to bare their souls. Tauriel took a few deep breaths trying to figure out what she was feeling and what she would do about it…

"Tauriel?" She heard a low voice say. She spun around and saw Kili at the door of the loft. "Is everything alright?" he asked gingerly. She knit her brows.

"Yes, of course…but what are you doing up?" she asked as she took a few steps toward him. But he put up his hand.

"I just had to prove to myself I could walk again, after all that has happened." He said, as he limped down the stairs slowly, one by one. Tauriel pursed her lips in disapproval.

"Alright, but…be careful." She said, moving to his side. He looked up at her with a wan little smile.

"I'm fine with this." He said, self assuredly, passing by her, on his way to a couch. "Climbing the tree again, however..." He sat down and started to pull up the pant leg to tend to his wound. "Now, that would be a challenge."

Tauriel shook her head as she smirked. She brought the little poultice pack over to him, settling down in front of him as he unwrapped the bandage on his leg. Kili grimaced, and put his hand across his middle and he groaned. She looked at him, concern in her face. Kili rubbed his belly.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Actually, my stomach hurts more than my leg right now." He said. He peaked around her to the small basket on the table. "Are those berries?" he said, wide eyes blinking.

"You are probably hungry." Tauriel replied, looking at him with curiosity. Kili raised his brows.

"Probably… and thirsty. I have not eaten much in days." He said, pressing on his empty stomach. Tauriel smiled.

"Alright. Those berries are all yours. But first, let's tend to this wound."

He slowly removed the bandage and dressing. The wound was a much healthier color, the edges already starting to close. Tauriel pressed the poultice against the wound and looked into his face. She knew that this part would hurt, but Kili pressed his lips together, and did not utter a sound. With his help she wrapped up his leg again, a bit tighter this time. His stomach growled audibly, provoking a shy laugh from them both. She retrieved the basket of berries and placed them before him. He looked at her after placing one or two in his mouth cautiously. She smirked.

"Go ahead, have at them…" She said. He grabbed a handful and stuffed his mouth full. His eyes practically fluttered closed as he chewed and swallowed, moaning his enjoyment. She handed him a tall mug with cool, clear water. He drank it down in one long gulp, spilling several drops on himself.

"These are tasty, but, honestly, I am so hungry, I would gladly eat the swill Bofur makes and ask for seconds and thirds right about now." He said, half seriously, grabbing another handful of berries. Tauriel smiled, holding back a laugh.

"Well, I don't know if I can find any swill…" she mused. It was Kili's turn to laugh. "But I will see what I can do. The forest usually has a lot to offer in the fall." Kili's eyes lit up. "If you like berries and apples and tubers…"

"Oh, what wouldn't I give for good rabbit stew right about now…or roasted duck…or venison." He reminisced, his hunger hitting him full force.

"What would you give?" she asked. He looked back at her with a bit of surprise. But, he should not have been surprised; he knew she was witty. Tauriel tilted her head, looking up at him with amusement in those perfectly shaped eyes. Kili thought he would melt into his chair right then and there.

"I have nothing to give but my heartfelt gratitude…and the promise that I would not eat your furniture." He said, his own wide smile returning hers. Kili enjoyed seeing the smile linger in her eyes.

"I don't recommend the furniture; it is a bit old and tough." She said, "But, I must say, I am not much for cooking game." She smirked. "The furniture may taste better…"

"Don't you worry, I can cook a mean rabbit stew. I learned from the best cook in the Blue Mountains… my mum." He said, beaming, happy to be able to do something for Tauriel.

"Alright then," she said, standing up. "It seems I have an errand to run." She walked over to the door and slung a bow and quiver over her shoulders. Kili tilted his head, wondering where the bow came from.

"Oh, and could you bring back some elder berries…and sage…and some rosemary…" Kili said, remembering the ingredients to the stew that was already making his mouth water. Tauriel crossed her arms.

"Anything else?" She said, a smile now painted on her face. She had to admit, she was now starting to feel hungry herself. He smiled back, a little embarrassed.

In just a few minutes, with Kili just being himself, Tauriel had become completely comfortable with him yet again.

"Whatever else you can find will be great." He said, even though, in his mind, he did have many other requests. _Just as long as you come back soon…_ he thought, looking longing at her. Tauriel walked over to the door as he followed her with his eyes, every flowing movement.

"I will be back soon…I promise." She said, looking back briefly. And then Tauriel was gone, and the door closed behind her.

Kili's jaw dropped open and he blinked…did she just hear his thoughts? Kili limped to the door and opened it, but Tauriel was already leaping away through the trees almost out of his sight as he looked on. He sighed, shaking his head.

_Wonderful. Here I am, a lame dwarf completely head over heels for a beautiful warrior elf who can barely tolerate me. What a fine, fine mess. _

Kili's eyes wandered over the tops of the trees before him, which he was able to see because the lodge was in a tree up on an incline. He gripped the frame of the door tightly as a familiar sight came into view…he sucked in a breath, all his trepidation, all his worry returning in a rush, making him gasp.

Before him in the distance, with the light of the sun hitting it, was the mist veiled outline of the Lonely Mountain.

"Erebor…" Kili whispered.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's** **Note:**

**Thank you readers! Thank so much for the reviews: Ice cream rocks, syblime, big fic fan, lisse oloori and my dear guests. We pick up back in laketown...**

**I know there are some Legoriel shippers who are unhappy with this; but I still hope you enjoy...He will be quite prominent in the story. **

**Oh and feel free to correct my Sindarian...**

**(Special thanks to Hisweloke's Sindarian dictionary)**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Back in Laketown, the skies were dark and the air that drifted over the water was heavy with mist as Bard and the others watched the dwarves row away. Finally, they disappeared into the night, the light from their lantern the last thing seen, fading like a ghost.<p>

"There is not much left of this town." Legolas said, turning to a lamenting Bard and his family. He stayed in support even though he wished to head to the lakeshore as soon as possible. Bard turned to his children.

"We have nothing but ourselves for now, but that is plenty." He said. Bard knit his brows and turned to look upon the burning town. Legolas approached him slowly, watching others approaching their group with some wariness.

"We have some company." Legolas said, as several people approached Bard.

"Bard, what are we going to do now?" An old man said, in desperation.

"Bard…" another man said, behind him, "There be dwarves here before…I saw them!" anger on his face. Others grunted in agreement.

"Yes." Bard said. "They have left in search of their kin, to see if they still live…"

"We should punish them for what they have done!" Another man said, raising a mace. "They released the dragon that destroyed our town!" Others shouted angrily in agreement.

Bard raised his hand and shouted above the crowd. Bard was a tall man with a commanding stance, and well respected so the crowd quieted down.

"And what good is more blood spilt?" Bard started. "It serves but to quench the thirst for vengeance but is ill directed." He suggested. "The dwarves who were here were not those who raised the dragon. The dragon is now dead, and it would not be done were it not for those brave dwarves and this elf who all came to our aid this night." He said, looking sternly at all about. "With the help of elf and dwarf, a dragon was slain by man; as was done in days of old." Everyone looked towards Legolas, who crossed his arms.

"We should still confine them for the actions of their kin!"

"Nonsense!" Bard said, walking up to the man. "If you are looking for one to punish, look no further than the Master and the people of this town, for you allowed the company to venture to the lonely mountain. You bade them leave, with passage and rations, with a parade, even." He nodded his head and looked intently at everyone. "If Thorin lives thusly, so shall he be told of what befell this town…" he said, pointing towards the darkness. "Such is the mission of those dwarves." With some mumblings the more bloodthirsty in the crowd quieted down.

"Bard! It happened as you said it would…" One young woman said. "We should have listened, listened to the warnings you gave. Now all is lost!" she sobbed, falling back in tears.

"My dear lady, I wish that we could turn back the hands of time but we cannot…all that is left is before us…In this wreckage." He said, looking back at his destroyed house.

"But how are we going to survive?" Another man said. Bard looked slyly about.

"Why do you not ask the master?"

"He is no where to be found…" The group erupted in desperation. Sigrid walked over to her father and held his arm.

"Da…" She whispered confidence in her face. "They need a leader, now more than ever. Da…please. It is time we live up to the honor of our ancestors." Bain and Tilda drew closer to him. Bard furrowed his brows and shook his head.

"Why should I?" He retorted, in a loud whisper.

"Because you are the best man for the job." She said. "Just as you knew your duty to slay the dragon. You know this to be true." She said, looking up at him with pride. Bard looked around at the confusion increasing around. He pondered it for a minute. He looked over at Legolas.

"There is much that needs to be done." Legolas said, nodding sternly over his crossed arms. "Someone needs to start, soon." Bard pursed his lips, rubbed his chin and climbed onto a set of debris, a look of determination on his face. He whistled loudly; everyone looked towards him. He walked along the debris.

"What can we do now? We no longer have a home…" He said, turning to all around. The crowd murmured in response. "No, but we have each other, the strength of our backs, the sharpness of our minds and the will to live." He said. The crowd nodded in agreement, exchanging quiet words. "If we bind together, we will make sure that the dragon Smaug shall not win this day." He said, hands in fists. "What say you all?" Everyone nodded and shout out words of agreement.

"How do we start, when there is no hope?" A large man said.

"There is always hope." Bard replied, walking into the crowd.

Bard, Legolas and several others came together and drew up plans to help the survivors of Laketown. They first organized search parties to go out looking for survivors that needed help getting out of the wreckage. Another group searched for buildings that were relatively untouched by the dragon's firestorm; and those precious few would be designated shelters. Yet another group was charged to gather food and whatever supplies they could salvage from the burnt out houses, to bring them to the shelters, and to put out the flames in the wheat depository. Supplies of fresh water were also collected in the shelter houses, taken from the destroyed homes. Everyone now scurried around with a purpose.

The dark, heavy clouds that were seen from afar, rolling in from the lake signaled to all that shelter was the most urgent need. A load of sails and tarps and blankets, anything that could be used for coverage were amassed and loaded onto barges. With these loads, another group was sent to the shore with Legolas, Sigrid and Tilda. The girl's job was to count how many survivors there were on land, in addition to trying to find Kili and Tauriel. While on the lakeshore, Legolas helped others with putting up tents, and the girls distributed the blankets.

It was decided that the young and frail return to Laketown, to take shelter in whatever buildings were left standing together, and the more able bodied were to spend the night in the newly erected tent town. They worked late into the night, and when the first few drops of fridgid rain started to fall, Legolas and the girls returned to the Laketown ruins.

Legolas stood at the head of the barge they traveled back on, stony faced and silent, the light mist coating his long silver blonde hair and brown vestments. Sigrid, who was sitting in the bow nearby, looked at him with concern.

"You did not find her." Sigrid said to the solemn looking elf. Legolas looked back at her with an expression akin to mild annoyance. He so wanted to wallow in his worry without notice.

"No." He sighed, and turned his body to face her, knowing full well it was just the young woman being kind. "I looked all about. Not a sign." Sigrid pursed her lips and nodded, looking down.

"No one I spoke to tonight saw an elf or dwarf arrive on the lakeshore." She said. Legolas grunted. "Was…is she a close friend of yours?" Legolas looked over the lake, a distant look in his eyes.

"Yes, she is. A very close friend." He said, the realization of that truth hitting him. Sigrid stroked the hair of her sister, a very exhausted Tilda, who was curled up asleep in her lap.

"Maybe she left town going after you…and is now headed back to home?" Sigrid said, hope in her eyes. Legolas raised one brow.

"I can only hope that is the case." He murmured. They remained silent for the rest of the journey, looking on over the side of the boat. They passed several craftsmen rushing to secure a barge in the space that the dragon had created in the causeway, to restore the bridge before the coming rain.

Legolas carried a sleeping Tilda in his arms, and they walked through the destroyed town, to one of the larger buildings left standing. Bard and some of the other more capable people in the town had designated that one as the center of operations.

Later that night, as hail began to fall from the skies, and everyone had to hunker down for the night, Legolas went with Bard's family to one of the smaller buildings. He lingered by the doorway of the building, looking toward the lakeshore, as if anticipating that a fire haired elf would soon join them. After making sure his children were asleep, Bard walked up the serious elf slowly.

"I am sorry you did not find your friend." He said. Legolas nodded and shifted his weight.

"I will search for her on my way back to Mirkwood." He said, dismissively. Bard respected the regal elf's desire that there be no more discussion on the topic.

"Sigrid tells me it can be more than a half of the town missing, presumed dead." Bard crossed his arms. "But we only have enough food for a fraction of those still alive." He sighed, like one heavy with a large weight thrust on his shoulders.

"You must ration the best you can. And supplies can be bought from nearby villages." Legolas said in response.

"Aye. But we have little monies for which to buy these needs. And we must be careful; there are those who would wish to plunder us after such bad fortune." Bard crossed his arms and shook his head. "We even caught the master trying to sneak off with most of the town's treasure tucked beneath his robes. He said he was keeping them close for 'security'. Hah. He was keeping them for his own use." Legolas turned to him, in wonder.

"How is it that one so concerned with his own skin runs a town such as this?" He asked. "Does he not feel a sense of loyalty to his subjects?" Legolas asked, incredulous. Even though his father was stern and commanding, all King Thranduil did was because of a sincere concern for his people.

"He feels a sense of loyalty to none but himself." Bard whispered, pursing his lips. Legolas turned to him.

"What did your daughter mean earlier, that you must rise to the honor of your ancestors?" Legolas inquired. Bard's face became serious.

"We are the direct descendants of the leaders of Dale; Girion among them." He admitted.

"Then it is in your blood to lead. And from what I have seen, you have the ability."

"I do not wish for the trappings of politics and leadership." Bard retorted.

"He who leads by actions with the most honor and valor will eventually gain the respect and fealty of the people around him." Legolas said. "At times we are drawn by fate to do what we must. Despite our wishes. " Bard looked at him with thoughtful consideration and nodded silently.

Legolas glanced towards the lakeshore as his own words rang in his head, as he realized his own position of responsibility, his fate as the prince of the wood elves, and his duty to his father with all that meant for his life...

"I will ride with speed in early morning to Mirkwood, and will return with whatever supplies we can for the survivors Laketown." Legolas said, speaking as Prince, finally looking away from the shore.

"You have done so much already. I am forever in your debt, but whatever more King Thranduil can do, we will be grateful." Bard said. Legolas looked at him with reverence.

"Bard, it is you we must thank. As a dragon slayer, you will always be _mellon ned edhil. (_friend of the elves)_"_

* * *

><p>Kili looked for a few moments more at the hulking colossus of the lonely mountain before him, his breath taken away, a pang in his heart. Not knowing if his brother and uncle and all his companions still lived forced a heavy sigh from his chest. He rubbed at the bandage and poultice around his leg; it did burn a little, but it was not entirely unpleasant. His wound had the itching sensation of something that was healing, so that was good. He turned and hobbled around a little faster, and within a few steps he knew it; he would not be able to travel with much speed just yet. He would have to stay here a bit longer. Since there was no sense worrying when he had no way to change his situation, he tried to push the worry from his mind.<p>

Kili looked down off of the edge of the terrace. The forest lay out before him in all its wild splendor, the deep green of the cedars and pines next to the kaleidoscope colors of leaves changing. Curious to know more about this little lodge, he walked to one end of the terrace on which the lodge was built; a terrace that wound its way artistically around the large, main branches of the tree.

He opened up what he thought was a shed, set up right against the lodge, but instead found a round carved tub, with a wide, round showerhead above. He grunted to himself, and sniffed his clothes and hair. He did not smell terrible by dwarf standards but he definitely smelled like aging, smoked game with a touch of mead. The last thing even close to a bath he had had was the lively group frolic in the fountains of Rivendell. King Elrond was none too pleased about it, Bilbo mentioned. And looking back on it, Kili would admit it; they were rude. But it was fun. Yes, if he did not wish to start drawing flies, a bath should be in his near future.

Kili looked up in the sky, which was quiet and deep blue like the water in underground crystal pools. He took some solace in the fact that he no longer heard the beast, or saw the rising dark plumes of fire in the distance, where he believed Laketown was. Whatever had happened there, it was done for now. He walked away from the terrace back into the lodge, back to the new, private world he had been forced into, with a beautiful elf warrior…

He stopped for a second. Tauriel. He knew his kin would not see her the same way he now did. By Mahal, he could not fathom how anyone could not look at her and not see the beauty that left him speechless; which was no easy task mind you…But it was true. They would not consider her beautiful. If he was honest with himself, he had had to admit it. He had been drawn to elf maidens before in his life, when he had the pleasure of seeing them. Every time, however, he ignored it; denied it to himself and the other dwarves. He knew the thoughts of women should not really permeate his thoughts constantly, and if they did, it should be of a sturdy, strong, bearded dwarf woman, one who would chose him as husband. But they did not interest him. His life had been saved by this elf. He had feelings for this elf, but was it just because of circumstances?

Everything around him looked, smelt and felt like elf; from the exquisitely detailed tall furnishings, to the high cabinets and vaulted ceilings. He never quite cared about anything having to do with elves before; but now he was wondering how best he could please Tauriel, just so he could see her smile light up her face again, that little nose crinkle, her large eyes glimmer… Most elves looked upon dwarves with distain and vice versa; a product, not only of the Durin quarrel with Thranduil, but of bouts of ancient animosity. But not her. He rubbed his soft stubble gently and looked down at his own body. He was undeniably a dwarf, albeit a tall one. Even so, he just did not fit in the elf world. He could not fit into her world; even if by some miracle, she did feel even a fraction the same as he…Kili huffed and shook his head. This whole situation baffled reason.

He looked around the lodge, a chill coming over him. The lodge was still cold, and a bit on the dank side. To his joy, he found dry logs in the log pile, as well as a few small bunches of kindling. He immediately went to work. Kili checked the exquisite metal pipes, evicting some small spiders that had made it home, very happy they had no resemblance to the large creatures that had attacked them in Mirkwood. Very soon, he had flames from the kindling licking up around the logs. He warmed his hands close to the flames for a few minutes.

"Now there; that's more like it." He said.

He found several other small lamps and cleaned them; they looked quite old with disuse. He eventually got them lit and put them around the lodge to give off some soft light. Next, he turned his attention to the water pump on the counter; it faced a basin with a drain that he saw led outside. He saw a small copper tubing, and to satisfy his curiosity, the followed it. It wound its way from the pump, down through the cabinets, and it wound itself around the stove half a dozen times before it went out through the side of the lodge, where the tub was, no doubt. He smiled. A warm water bath…what a treat.

He tried the water pump a few times without success. Dwarves, being skilled craftsmen and tinkers, were adept at anything mechanical. Kili had the whole contraption disassembled and reassembled in working order before Tauriel had returned, with two rather plump hares in her grasp, and herbs and vegetables in her bag. Kili's heart swelled when her stern features softened and her eyebrow lifted slightly as she entered the Lodge, taking it in slowly. She was quite pleasantly surprised at his accomplishments.

"Thank you for starting the fire." She said. As if to show off a bit, Kili walked over to the water pump and filled up a pot. "And for getting that working…" she said. "But you really should be resting."

"I'll go mad sitting still." He said. "I will rest when I feel I must, I assure you." She smirked, looking at him sideways, putting her satchel down on the table.

"Here it is. Some of what you asked for." She said. Kili smiled a little shyly and placed the pot he had filled on the stove.

"Well at least I can start. Would you like some tea to warm you up?" He asked. She tilted her head a bit to the side.

"Elves don't feel cold much." She informed him. Kili nodded and pursed his lips, looking away. Yet another difference, to hammer home this previous thoughts about the chasm that existed between them_. How could someone so warm not feel the cold? _Kili thought.

"We do feel the cold when the temperature falls below freezing." Tauriel said, as if she had heard his thoughts yet again. Kili looked back into her face with curiosity. "But regardless, I would enjoy some tea." She looked back at him with that little smile playing on her features. Every time she looked at him like that, he felt she was staring right into him…he cleared his throat.

"Great! Then…Could you get some camellia and mint leaves; and honey…and leek? Oh, and carrot and celery..." Kili started, with the glint in his eyes again. He turned his attention to the rabbits. "I'll take care of dressing those..."

Tauriel handed off the game, very happy to have someone else gut and skin the beasts, and prepared to go back to the forest to continue her foraging. She put the contents of her satchel neatly in a row on the table.

Tauriel was only allowed to leave after Kili added several more ingredients on her growing list of things to acquire. She threw the satchel over her shoulders and took a brief look behind her before she left the doorway of the lodge. She saw a pair of smoldering, dark eyes wandering over her. They eventually reached her face and widened. Even though she was a bit taken aback, she was also flattered.

"I…was admiring your…bow…and your knife…they are exquisite." Kili said quickly, with such sincerity, she almost believed him. Almost. She smiled widely and looked the bow on her back.

"Thank you. They were crafted by elven artisans in the second age, I was told." She said, shifting her glance back to him. "You are an archer." His eyes were securely planted on her face that time. Kili appeared surprised. "A rare weapon for a dwarf, is it not?"

"Yes, but it was the weapon what I liked best while growing up…" Kili said, still appearing a bit flustered. "I also learned how to fight with knives and swords quite well." His eyebrows furrowed… "How did you know…"

"I will be right back…" she said, cutting him off. She strode quickly to a nearby branch and launched herself back into the canopy. She did not want to recount how she knew Kili was an archer.

It was when the ork told Tauriel that Kili would die, and her life changed forever.

* * *

><p>With the number of times Kili sent her back down to the forest floor to gather more supplies and ingredients, Tauriel was indeed a bit spent, and was actually was getting quite hungry, but it could have also been the delectable smelling concoction on the stove, the aromatic herbs permeating the air in the now cozy and warm lodge.<p>

On her last return, Tauriel found the Lodge empty, save yet another list pinned to the door. She groaned and went looking for Kili, a little miffed, stopping short once she entered the lodge. The pot of rabbit was stewing away on a slow fire, smelling divine, and a mug of hot honey tea was placed near the edge of the table set neatly for two, bowls of fruit and berries set out. She sighed, her annoyance being completely dissipated by the scene in that one moment. She picked up the tea, and took a long sip, the warmth permeating her.

A moment later, Kili limped slowly down the stairs of the loft, rubbing at his long, then wet hair with a cloth, half undressed; he did not yet see her. She froze, her eyes taking him in, realizing with surprise how appealing Kili's dark hair, warm colored skin and muscular features were becoming to her. Then his eyes rose to meet hers…He seemed shocked when he saw her, and rushed to put on the shirt draped over his arm.

"You're back…sorry…I hope you did not mind…I just took a bath in that tub you have out there. Oh, and I borrowed another shirt." He said. Tauriel nodded and turned away, busying herself with removing her weapons and satchel.

"That is fine." Tauriel replied, looking back at him as he approached, her eyes drifting down to the opening of his shirt. She saw a leather cord wrapped around his neck, attached to a small pouch that hung over his sculpted chest. She brought her eyes back to his… "Where did you get that pouch?" she asked, because she had not seen it on him before. He held it in his hand and looked at her somberly.

"I was happy to find it in the clothes I took off yesterday. It has my runestone in it. Remember?" he asked, gingerly.

"Of course." She smiled. She looked at the little list in her hand. He looked down at it with realization…

"Oh…that is not for right now. Just…whenever you go to the forest again." He said, walking by her.

"Good." She said, with a sigh.

"It was a little challenging…taking a bath while trying to not get my leg wet…" he said. "But I managed."

"I can check on your wound later." She said.

She looked his way while Kili limped around the stove, stirring and sniffing his rabbit stew which he claimed was almost done. She asked him if he wanted help but he refused, seeming proud of his ability to serve her in this rather vital way.

A little while later, Tauriel was settled down on one the couches, dutifully cleaning her knives and waxing her bow. She stroked her hands up and down the exquisitely carved riser, through the slender, strong limbs of the elven recurve bow, covering it with a thin layer of oil to protect the wood. She looked at Kili, thinking that she would find and mend one of her old bows later for this dark haired archer now in her midst.

A small smile rose on her lips.

"So…who is this Bofur?" She asked, wondering if the theory she was developing would be proven; that Kili needed very little urging to tell a long, funny story about practically anything. "The one who makes the swill?" Kili looked up from the pot he was stirring and laughed.

"Bofur is one of the dwarves we were with in Bard's house at Laketown. And actually, his cooking is not that bad." He answered. He puzzled a moment, looking up in the air and scratched his beard. "I don't know if you would have seen him…"

"I know the young light haired one, Fili is your brother,." She started. Kili's right brow rose.

"Yes…and Oin is the older dwarf with grey hair." He said. She nodded.

"So Bofur must be the dwarf with the funny hat who gave me the Athelas…" she said.

"Yes, that is the one." He said, his face becoming serious. "You know much more than I do about what happened at Bard's house, those few moments." She nodded and mirrored his seriousness, placing her bow on her lap.

"Yes." She said. "You were quite ill." Kili slowly limped over to the chair across from her and put up his leg, rubbing over the bandages, his eyes a little far away, a little smirk developing on his face. "What is it?" Tauriel asked, in anticipation. Kili looked at her, with that 'I have another story' twinkle in his eyes.

"The last time I had rabbit stew, we nearly became dinner for a group of mountain trolls." He said.

"Do tell…" Tauriel urged gently, giggling to herself internally. Theory proven.

"Fili and I were watching the ponies, though, to be fair, we were not watching them as much as we were playing games to pass the time. It is horrendously boring to be the ones constantly on watch, as we were…In any case, when Bilbo, the Hobbit, brought us dinner, we realized two of the ponies were gone. When we looked around, we found them trapped by the trolls. So we were in a quandary as to what to do, so we sent Bilbo in to talk to them. He tried his best but eventually, we had to come in to help. We almost had them, because they were quite slow, but they captured one of us and threatened to tear him limb from limb if we did not drop our weapons. To make a long story short…" Tauriel had to bite her lip not to laugh. His stories were never short. "We dropped our weapons." He paused a second, and looked at her, wondering why she seemed ready to laugh.

"Then what?" She said, getting caught up in the story.

"Oh, yes…well, the trolls had us all tied up with bags over our legs, and a few dwarves tied up on the spit over a fire. Bilbo tried to convince them that they did not season us properly, and we did not taste good. He said we had parasites…" he said. "At first I denied it…but after my uncle gave me a good kick, I realized he was just trying to buy us time. I said I had the biggest parasites in all of middle earth!" Tauriel laughed out loud.

"That is awful!" she said, acting playfully appalled.

"I don't really have parasites…I swear." Kili said, a serious expression on his face. Tauriel nearly busted out in fits of laughter again. A wicked smile arose on Kili's lips.

"Well then, how did you get away?" she asked.

"Gandalf. He broke a boulder and turned the trolls into stone with the sunlight. Just like that. Clever thing he did." Kili said, then got up to look at the pot on the stove again. "Anyhow, after, we scavenged their cave and found a good many things, including ancient elf weapons. Do you know how awful troll caves reek?"

"Thank goodness, no." She answered.

"I recommend refraining from visiting them at all costs." He said. He turned around and smiled. "Dinner is ready." He informed her.

They sat and ate together, in relative silence because Kili was eating as fast as possible to fill his empty belly, and Tauriel was not much for starting idle banter. The stew tasted as delectable as it smelled, the meat tender and sweet.

In a ridiculously short span of time, the stew was done, the mint tea drunk and Kili looked like he had swallowed a melon. When they finished, Tauriel ordered Kili to sit and change his bandage for a new one while she cleaned up. She was tired of just watching him hobble about. She glanced over at him a few times as he tried to wrap and tie the new poultice against the wound without much success. Tauriel then wandered over to help. Kili looked at her thoughtfully as she gently, methodically, wrapped the bandage around his leg.

"How did you learn to do this?" he asked, his voice low. She glanced at him with a question on her face. "The healing medicine, the incantations…" He clarified.

"I was trained to be a healer as well as a fighter. As the captain of the guard, it was my duty to know how best to take care of the soldiers under my charge." She said, with the sad thought that she would probably no longer be captain…

"I see. It does make sense to have someone near who can heal wounds in close proximity to battle." He said. "That is why we had Oin with us. And that is why he stayed in Laketown with me." He rubbed his now full belly. "That tasted like the best rabbit I have ever had, if I do say so myself." He said, leaning back, a long wide yawn coming across his face, his eyes threatening to close. Tauriel smirked.

"Yes, it was wonderful, Kili, but it seems to have made you rather sleepy." She replied. "I think it is time for you to retire." She said, gently. "Before you fall asleep right here."

"I can stay up, I promise." Kili said, straightening up and blinking his eyes open. He so wanted to continue talking with her, but sleep was making him hazy. She stood up and pursed her lips.

"Come on. You need your rest to continue healing, Kili." She informed him, being gentle but firm. "And the loft will be more comfortable and warmer tonight." She said. He still looked unhappy about the situation. Tauriel sighed. "I will be resting there as well, after my own bath." Kili seemed pleased with that idea.

Kili gave in and dutifully walked up to the loft, pushing his now tired body to do so. He settled down, on a different sleep mat this time, a fair distance from her. Kili lay on his side, looking at Tauriel through sleepy eyes as she rummaged through one of the chests in the corner. He stared at her for a few moments.

"Tauriel?'

"Yes?" she answered, a little uncomfortably, shifting so she was sitting down, facing Kili.

"So…why did you save me?" Kili said in his low voice, his brown eyes soft, pinned on hers. Tauriel leaned back and thought about it a moment, as her eyes drifted over him.

Why indeed…but what could she tell Kili about her reasons? That she felt she had the irresistible call to rescue him from the spiders and orks? And she would not have been able to live with herself if she did not go after them to Laketown? That it hurt to even think he was dead earlier? That she was powerless to resist this insatiable urge to spend every moment she could in his presence, while at the same time she was more confused about these feelings than she had ever been in her long life? She could not just give him a flippant answer. But it boiled down to one simple fact…

"I…wanted to." Tauriel said, looking at him softly.

Kili blinked slowly, his eyes adoring every feature on her face, desire blooming in his chest, a little smile forcing its way onto his lips. To say thank you, or anything, would have been such an understatement, that he felt it best to say nothing at all.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:**

**I swear, the forces are coming together just to make sure I don't finish this fic before the next movie comes out. I have been dying to get this chapter out but it did not seem quite right for a while. Now, I hope you like it. **

**Welcome new readers, thank you for your patience to those who have been following along.**

**Thank you for the reviews Lexilewie (Yes, Tauriel is complex is she not?), Bigfic fan, Icecreamrocks, Syblime**

**The pace will quicken a bit after this.**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Tauriel sat down across from Kili after her admission in silence. She was actually a little amazed that he had nothing to say, but honestly, he did not need to. He gazed at her tenderly and the sleepy little smile on his face said volumes. As she continued looking through the chest, she just silently returned the intense look, and the gentle smile. Tauriel looked up at him intermittently with little flutters in her stomach as his eyes followed her movements. She was the one who looked away first because he seemed to be searching for an answer to an unspoken question, an answer she was not sure she could yet give. Between them was just several feet of light blanket and soft mattress yet neither bridged the chasm that was so easily crossed yesterday when the need was there; but now there was no need, just longing, and that seemed too foreboding a journey for her to make just yet.<p>

Eventually, after Kili fell asleep, Tauriel continued looking at him, sitting down across from the slumbering dwarf, tracing his features, the waves of his hair on his head, becoming mesmerized with the way his body moved ever so slightly with each breath. Peaceful thing, this sleep.

She eventually tore herself away, and tiptoed down to the main room of the lodge. She put on another log, and stoked the flame, and prepared herself a warm bath. Outside, she sat in the bath water, looking at the tendrils of steam rising in the air, off her arms and legs as she moved it in and out of the water. She felt a bit ashamed to have the amenities she did and found herself wondering what had befallen the people of Laketown. They had not heard or seen the dragon for at least a day. She was hoping the winged beast was now leaving the townspeople alone. On her earlier forays, she did venture high on the hill so she could see the shoreline, and she looked over at Laketown, now an irregular collection of burnt out shadows, but strain as she did, she could not discern people, much less the image of a blonde elf…

She threw her head back, a little ache coming over her as she thought about Legolas. She had abandoned her partner in arms, as he took off after the orks. She had no idea how that encounter went, or how he was now, or where he was. She was sure Legolas would be looking for her if he was able, just like she would be frantically looking for him…but she could not now, not when she had Kili to deal with. Tauriel covered her eyes, feeling despair eating into her. First the difficult situation with Legolas, her lifelong friend and confidant, childhood obsession, a burgeoning mutual attraction cut off by the wishes of his regal father.

And now Kili...what a conundrum. He was not even an elf, yet the ease with which she got close to this young soul made her head spin, and made her question everything she thought her life should be. She got up, out of the water got dressed and went back into the Lodge. She passed by the stove where the rabbit stew had been. She shook her head and smirked, and went to look in the weapons closet.

As she rummaged she found a short sword and unsheathed it. It was still as beautiful as the day it was hewn by the hands of the elven smiths who made it many years ago. She turned it over in her hand. It was from the first age, no doubt. It is said that the hearts of the ancient elves who made these kinds of weapons were so pure, that the metal actually glowed in the presence of evil, to warn the owner when they should be on guard. Tauriel stroked the shimmering metal and sheathed it. She would give that sword to Kili; for he was a fighter without weapons now. She smirked as she continued looking through the closet. There was another weapon she knew he would appreciate.

Eventually Tauriel found a strong, stiff bow, short in height, but just about right for a tall dwarf. It was one she and Legolas must have used as they were growing up, but she thought it would be just right for Kili. She worked the string and tested it. She would just have to increase the weight of the draw for Kili's strength. Tauriel sat down and began repairing the ancient bow, restringing it with more sinew, rewrapping the string. She heard a noise coming from the loft that disturbed the still of the night.

Tauriel rushed up to the loft, and found Kili moving around on the mattress. At first she was not too concerned since she had seen this before; Kili's tossing during sleep. She observed him with silent curiosity, waiting for his movements to quiet like they did last night. But this time it was different. Kili's body jerked unpredictably, his breathing became rapid, and a small whimper squeezed out of his throat, like the prelude to a scream. His face was contorted as if in pain… Tauriel started growing more concerned, and started approaching him slowly, crawling over on her hands and knees.

"Kili?" She whispered. He took no notice, as she expected. His movements became more obvious, and he began to moan. "Kili…" She said, a little louder placing her hand on his arm closest to her. His breathing quickened and his hands went to fists.

"Noooo…" His moaning changed into barely perceptible words. "No…Fili…"

"Kili!" she said loudly, holding his arm more urgently. She did not know what was happening but instinctively, she felt she should interrupt whatever it was.

_A tumultuous dark land, crawling masses of creatures, orks and wargs, crevices with dark blood running like a river. Everywhere there were cries of war and blood and clashing of metal against metal, guttural shrieks of death… Clouds were dark and imposing above, like a ceiling where screams echoed back to the forsaken land. Kili ran over the rocks to a field, killing all the creatures he could in his way, driving on because he heard his brother yelling out for him. His own throat was silent, however hard he tried to answer… the screams of his brother drove him on... Kili frantically searched… He looked down over a rise, to find Fili on the ground, dead, his face with the stare of a corpse, a lance run through him, the shaft held by a dark fiend upon a dark horse. He ran and embraced the lifeless body, his brother, his golden hair streaked red. Blood of his brother upon him, he got up, enraged and ran towards the dark rider. He rammed a black and scarlet covered sword through the fiend, only to look down and find the lance now through his own abdomen…he looked back up to find his killer gone…and a the image of Tauriel in the distance, running towards him, fighting her way towards him. As his body fell to the ground she reached him…She was covered in dark blood, face stark, a glittering streak running down her cheek…_

Kili awoke with a deep inhale, and he sat bolt upright, his eyes wide, his body tense. He grabbed an arm near his own and held on tight. He looked at the face before him…looked her way but almost through her. He blinked his eyes, and breathed rapidly, looking around him slowly, the realization of where he was calming him down second by second. Then he saw her…Tauriel. He was in the dark, warm, quiet loft.

"Kili!" Tauriel said, the look of worry on her face. Kili breathed heavily, and stared at her. With a shaky hand he reached for her face…there was no blood, no fear…

"Thank the gods…" he whispered. Tauriel shook her head, confused.

"What was that?" she asked.

"It was just…an awful, awful dream, that's all it was." He said, falling on his back, staring at the now familiar, comforting ceiling of the loft. Tauriel sat down next to him, looking upon him with concern, yet staying quiet.

He breathed deeply a few times as the images of the dream replayed itself each time he blinked his eyes. He eventually and looked back at Tauriel. "I'm sorry." He said.

"That… dream was…unsettling." She said. Kili curled his body to face her.

"Yes, quite. Sometimes they seem so real. So very real…" he said, almost in a whisper, tracing her face in the low light with his eyes. She pursed her lips.

"If dreams are so awful, why would you want to have them at all?" she asked. Tauriel suspected Kili was not one to upset easily; for something to disturb him this much, it must have been terrible.

"They are not always bad, dreams. Many are quite pleasant, I assure you. But they are all usually forgotten quickly." He said, but he believed otherwise; he would remember this particular one for quite some time, he was certain. Tauriel laid down facing him.

"I will stay here for a while. If you have another dream like that, I will try to awaken you sooner." She said. He nodded and remained staring at her, his face serious. Tauriel knitted her brows. "Would that help?"

"I think so." Kili nodded slowly. Several moments passed and Kili still could not close his eyes without the images haunting him. He grunted.

"What was it you dreamt that bothers you?" Tauriel asked, softly. He looked away, somewhere above her and sighed.

"I was in a great battle, surrounded by blood and death. And I heard my brother call for me, but I did not reach him in time. I found him dead. And then I was mortally wounded myself …" he said. Tauriel shuddered. He looked back at her, his eyes sad. "And you were there as well. You were crying."

Tauriel knit her brows. Elves do not weep easily. The fountain of despair must come from deep within, from great pain or profound mourning. Tears fall rarely, only at the most horrible of occasions. There was no way Kili would know that.

"It was just a dream, Kili." She said, trying to shake away the dread that was creeping up on her. "We are both here, alive and well." She said, trying to be as convincing as she could.

From what Tauriel knew of dreams, some people considered them manifestations of one's fears, but some thought of them as visions of things that would come to pass. She did not know what Kili believed.

Kili nodded, and rested his head on his arm. He looked at her thoughtfully for a few moments.

"We are fighters, Tauriel. Warriors from different worlds." He said.

"That we are." She replied.

"I have been in battle before, and will be again. And no doubt, so will you." he continued, his voice low and clear, his dark eyes unwavering. Tauriel knew his words to be true.

"That is what we have trained for." She replied. "To protect our King and our people." She said, knowingly.

"I will never fight you, Tauriel, even if my brethren may try." Kili promised, looking at her intensely. "I will not let them." He whispered.

Kili gingerly stretched his hand toward her, bridging the chasm. She looked at him, and reached out to him as well. He gripped her hand tightly. Tauriel swallowed slowly, feeling the same little flutter when his hand first met hers back in Laketown.

"Or I, you." she whispered. That affirmation given, Kili fell back asleep. Tauriel stayed there, shaken a bit inside, holding the hand of the only dwarf she ever cared about, cared whether he lived or died.

* * *

><p>Legolas sat alone outside the house in Laketown, a silent watch over the men who somehow found sleep to give some reprieve this horrible night. The hailstorm had passed and left a clear sky with a large moon, and stars that sparkled in the clear black night, as if freshly washed. He breathed in hard, his mind being possessed with thoughts of Tauriel, her smile, her strength and grace, their centuries together, the way they moved together as one during combat. He tried to steel himself for the possibility he may just never see her again; that she may be lying dead on the bottom of the lake, or in the forest burned to death or hacked to pieces by orks. The fact that he knew not where to even look for her frustrated him to no end, yet he still held hope he would find her in one piece, somewhere on the way back to Mirkwood.<p>

Daybreak came, with colors of joy, almost mocking the destruction in Laketown. Everyone able gathered in the square, awaiting word of what next to do. Even though the people were traumatized, they had a sense of purpose that morning, and once led by Bard and others with the skill and ability to direct the survivors, the remaining townspeople went to work, throwing their efforts together to tend to the job of survival now made more difficult. There was much to be done, including the need to bury the dead…

The Master of the town, a rotund and obnoxious man, fat with privilege given, not earned, approached Legolas after hearing from the others that he was the Prince of the Wood Elf kingdom. He strolled up to him and bowed, a showy, slightly offensive display. Legolas raised a brow and crossed his arms.

"I thank your majesty for coming to our aid last night. That dreadful dragon! Those horrid dwarves! Look what they have done to my town, my people." The master said, doing his best to look stark and worn.

Bard looked on from several meters away. This display made Bard cringe and he crossed his arms in defiance and glared on at the conversation. However, Legolas definitively ignored the Master's flagrant approach, walking right by him with a glare, and approached Bard, speaking to him as the one in command.

"I travel back to Mirkwood today by horse; we should be back within the week with whatever we can carry." Legolas said to Bard. Bard smiled and nodded.

"I apologize I cannot give you passage, Master Elf, by barge…" he started.

"You and your barges are busy with more important things." Legolas said, and they continued to converse about the particulars of what should be brought back with the elven contingent.

The whole public refusal incensed the Master and his sniveling little sidekick, and they left the group in the square in a huff but Legolas paid no mind. He had other things to concern himself with.

Legolas collected a few meager rations, ones Bard insisted he take from his Laketown hosts. His white stallion found him once beckoned; it had been wandering through the devastated town, not allowing anyone to even touch his reigns. He left the town after clasping arms with Bard, promising to return, and even managed a smile as he passed by a doting Sigrid. He rode over the newly repaired causeway to the mainland, on a fast gallop back towards Mirkwood.

The long life of an elf leads one to expect that they have all the time in middle earth to do anything; time moves slowly, and the expectation is that all you plan can be done in the future. You have unlimited time, if forever is your world. But for Legolas, a warrior prince, and other elf soldiers there was the constant real threat of death by violence; which would make their long lives come to an abrupt end. He should really have had more respect for the passage of time, given that. Training for eons made him efficient and effective, an excellent marksman and fighter, one particularly well suited to protect his long life. But his skill did make him bold and brave, willing to take risks.

The she-elf he trained from a youngling seemed to possess that same trait of fearlessness as he; and her skills were becoming just as effective. He also enjoyed her ways and her gentle personality, hidden under the stony exterior she displayed to all those in her charge. With her skill and the way they looked after each other, he did not conceive of a life without her in it. Having had Tauriel by his side for so long, now Legolas felt something was missing, and her absence was a painful void that was becoming more and more difficult to ignore as the hours wore on and there was still no fire-haired elf in sight.

Legolas felt the hours like heavy weights upon him as he pushed on; he looked into every clearing, every little nook by the road that elves may use to rest, looking for signs of fresh campsites, freshly trodden trail, tracks of a horse, blood, anything that would be a sign that his friend, his very special friend, had gone by that way. He thought briefly of the little treehouse cabin they had in the woods, but he discounted it; it was not on the way back to Mirkwood.

His horse needed rest and food so he spent part of the night in the trees after gathering food, his horse in the meadow nearby a small waterfall. As the horse grazed in the nearby field, Legolas sat in the familiar clearing, next to the ashes of a fire lit not too long ago. He stared at the place where flames once danced, and the light sparkled in Tauriel's warm brown eyes. She was one of the finest elves in the land, that he knew, and he was happy she was in his life. He had decided, shortly before this occurrence, within his own mind, that he did not care that she was a Sylvan elf, despite what his father thought. He sighed sadly; it may not matter at all anymore. He looked on as the water rushed, babbling over the rocks in a seemingly endless stream, like the endless passing of time, a lifetime for an elf.

The next morning, Legolas started early and made it to the Mirkwood fortress by midday. The guards by the ornate doors saw him approaching and opened them wide.

"_My Lord_!" One of the guards said in sindarian, a look of solemn surprise on his face as Legolas entered the Kingdom. "_Your father has ordered us to seal the gates. But for you I am sure he will make exception._" Legolas slid off his steed in a fast swoop and looked at the guard with a stern expression.

"I would not be so sure." He said bitterly, surprising himself with how automatically his steely exterior presented itself to all around.

One of the sergeants, Oreyon, drawn to the entrance of the fortress by the sound of the large doors opening, approached him rapidly and nodded with a sigh of relief. Oreyon was about as close to a confidant as Thranduil would allow the royal family to have.

"My Prince..." he said, stopping before Legolas. "I thank the stars you have returned. Your father was…"

"Angry I left. I know." Legolas said, glancing at Oreyon. Oreyon shook his head and tilted it to the side, his blonde hair flowing over his shoulder in that distinctive, high-elf mannerism, his light green eyes intense.

"Concerned, Legolas." He said, definitively. Oreyon looked at him with eyebrow raised, noting the myriad slashes on his clothing. "Where have you have been fighting?" Legolas pursed his lips.

"There is much I need to tell the king." He said, walking around Oreyon. "Where is my father?" he said.

"In his quarters." Oreyon replied, following Legolas as the prince walked rapidly to the King's Suite. They walked over several long arching walkways and stood together at the foot of the stairs to the throne room before Legolas could wait no more. Every step he took without word or sight of her, his anxiety bloomed. His breath came fast with desperate hope.

"Has Tauriel returned?" He asked, voice low with trepidation, looking back at Oreyon.

"No, My Lord, there has been no sign of her since you left after her some days ago…" Oreyon said, his concern mirrored. As Legolas heard the news, his heart sank low, and a growl escaped. Legolas had been hanging on to that last bit of hope with such vehemence, the fact that she was not there struck him particularly hard as he entered his father's suite.

"Legolas!" The stern voice, filled with control, echoed in the dark fortress. King Thranduil stood at the top of a stairway, his face a mask of harshness, and he stepped down slowly, stair by stair, his sparkling cloak wafting behind him. He glared at his son, but Legolas saw it. The faint glimmer of relief.

"Father…" Legolas said, shoulders lowered, head tilting forward with the appropriate amount of deference mixed with boldness. Legolas knew Thranduil would be upset with him, but knew what he did, following Tauriel to Laketown, was the right thing to do at the time.

"Where have you been?" Thranduil said, walking around his son, head held high, his usually tightly controlled expressions changing from anger to concern back to anger. Before Thranduil could utter another word, Legolas interrupted.

"Father. The dragon Smaug…it has been killed." Legolas said, looking at his father intensely. The regal, dark eyebrows raised and the grey eyes widened ever so slightly. Oreyon gasped audibly. Thranduil stopped short, realization spreading over his face. He turned slowly away from Legolas and looked into the caverns of his kingdom.

"The night before last, was it not?" Thranduil said, voice quiet, yet intense, as he closed his eyes and looked down, the old wound that had consumed most of the left side of his face flickering into his consciousness. He swooned with the memory of the pain as he glanced back at his son. It was Legolas who was now shocked; he nodded his head slowly.

"Yes." Legolas said, in disbelief.

Several nights before, Thranduil had felt it; a peculiar sensation that not all was as it was before in middle earth. He found himself wondering about the cause of his disquiet, worrying about his missing son. But when something so ancient and powerful as a dragon dies, the loss reverberates throughout Middle Earth, and that perturbation in the mystic forces can be sensed by wizards, witches, and the wise old ones.

Thranduil composed himself and pursed his lips, continuing the slow, elegant sweep around the room.

"And how did it meet its demise?" He asked. Legolas shook his head, bringing himself out of the shock that his father somehow knew…

"Some of the dwarves went ahead to the Lonely Mountain; they must have angered the beast because Smaug then attacked Laketown." Thranduil stopped short, and he turned slowly to face Legolas as he continued

"The men of Laketown did not fare well, no doubt."

"Smaug destroyed most of Laketown before Bard, a descendant of Girion, was able to down the beast with a black arrow. I and a few dwarves left behind were there to witness it.." Legolas informed him. "There are survivors, but they have little shelter and food." The king's head nodded slowly, and his eyes closed. His head lowered.

Thranduil's mind filled with ancient, numerous images of fire and death, dragon wings and blackness…so often through the ages. He recalled the brave men of Dale, standing up in rows, shooting arrows that careened off the fire breathing beast like toothpicks as their city exploded into flames around them. They stood up to the beast, even though their fight was in vain…He then saw the dragon walk through the destroyed doors of Erebor, and heard the screams of dwarves meeting their demise echoing through the mountain halls.

And Thranduil recalled the expression of a young dwarf prince as he turned the elven army away from the fallen Kingdom of Erebor. Thranduil breathed heavily. It would not happen again. He raised his head.

"Oreyon." Thranduil said, voice tinged with emotion.

"Yes, My lord." He said, approaching him from behind Legolas. Thranduil turned to him.

"Check the stores. Gather as much food and supplies as the kingdom can spare to give. Organize a contingent of carpenters, soldiers and healers and prepare to leave for Laketown as soon as possible." Thranduil ordered.

Legolas stood in the same position, and just looked on as his father ordered the aid he had promised to Bard, but his heart was too heavy at the moment to feel satisfaction, elation. Thanduil continued to give Oreyon instructions, but it faded away from Legolas' conciousness. Legolas looked away, staring out into the distance.

_Tauriel was not in Mirkwood. Did that mean_…

Legolas barely noted when Oreyon nodded stiffly with an affirmative and made a swift exit from the suite.

Thranduil eyed his son carefully, walking behind him. He was breathing heavily, seeming distressed, but it was not because of any physical ailment that he could see. As he rounded before him, Legolas looked down and away.

"You went after Tauriel after I bid you stay…" he started, but then stopped. Thranduil saw a healed gash on his son's temple, the glassy penetrating stare into nowhere. Thranduil's burning concern returned.

Thranduil stood before Legolas in intense silence and waited until his son's eyes slowly crept up to his. Legolas' shoulders rose and fell with each breath, which was painful to witness.

"Tauriel…" Legolas said, his eyes wide. "The last time I saw her, she was in a house in Laketown." He said, wincing and looking away. "That house…it was destroyed by Smaug." He said, looking back at his father. Thranduil's head raised and his shoulders lowered. He breathed a sigh and pursed his lips, his face a fleeting mask of worry. He steeled his expression.

"_If there is any who could survive a dragon attack, it is her._" Thranduil said, changing over to their soothing elvish tongue, yet his tone revealed more strain and unease than his words. Legolas swallowed, shaking his head, his eyes closing again.

"_I looked everywhere. I could not find her_…" Legolas answered, his voice lowering, cracking with the strain of emotion.

"_Then you shall continue looking upon our return to Laketown_." Thranduil boomed, the Sindarian words sounding harsh. Legolas turned his head to find his father staring at him with a determined, angry expression. Legolas was taken aback. He nodded slowly, pulling himself together.

"Yes, father." Legolas answered, turning around heavily. Thranduil looked away, into the low light of the halls of his kingdom, his own mind reeling from the news.

"You should rest." Thranduil said, wanting to be alone. Legolas nodded, wanting the same.

"I will be in my quarters."

Thranduil stood as still as a stone as he listened to the echoes of his son's footsteps down the stairs, and the quiet sounds of Oreyon giving instructions to the troops, elves moving around, gathering supplies of charity for their allies, the men of Laketown. He walked over and stiffly poured out a tall glass of wine, raising it to his lips, taking a long drink. Thranduil closed his eyes as the stringent liquid flowed down his throat, and he collected his thoughts.

_Smaug is dead. That is good._

_Laketown is destroyed. That is unfortunate. We can help them. _

_Erebor is again under the control of Dwarves. Or they are dead. I will need to find out more about this; the treasures of Erebor cannot be left unguarded to fall into the hands of evil._

_Tauriel is missing…_

That last thought filled Thranduil with the most dread. He breathed heavily. Images of the young, bright, red haired elfling flew through his mind. He practically felt the butterfly kisses on his cheeks and the feather light arms around his neck again. Tauriel never knew it, but she had saved Thranduil's life.

The loss of a will to live, withering away, is one of the few ways an elf can die. Tauriel had come to them like a beacon of light when the despair over his wife's death threatened to stifle Thranduil's will to live. The loss of the wife he expected to spend forever with was almost too much for the powerful, ancient Elf King to bear. Thranduil had been suffering with this painful sadness for centuries, pulling himself away from Legolas, from everyone, his duties as King feeling like an unbearable weight on his shoulders. Then he came upon Tauriel, who suffered her own unbelievable tragedy at such a tender age; and he came alive once more because of her need to have a father, a family. He became a fighter again and his kingdom thrived.

_She may be gone forever._

Thranduil's eyes squeezed shut, hard. The wine glass shattered in his grasp, the shards dropping to the ground, the wine dripping from his fingers like blood…


	15. Chapter 15

**Authors note:**

**Just a quick note to all: I will be changing the rating of the story to M because I just don't want to have to limit myself; I will go mad trying to figure out what constitutes T vs M and writing one's heart out is hard enough without having to double guess myself if the violence or romance is appropriate or not for the vague rating system. **

**That said, for those not inclined to read the more M-ish sections, I will bracket the ones I think may offend {{like this}} and try to make sure that the story still flows well with or without those sections. Feel free to ignore those paragraphs if it pleases your sensibilities. **

**Now, on to Erebor we go, to find out what goes on there…but not to worry, we will be returning to other parts of Middle earth again shortly. **

**Thank you for the reviews: Flyienalien, Lexilewie, ClaraS, Syblime, Guest. **

**Just remember, the story is not over until it is over….i have surprises in store for all you shippers.**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Deep in the misty, dark halls of Erebor, echoes of tinkering, industry and effort were heard reverberating through the vast caverns, like echoes from the past. The sculpted ceilings were so high as to be lost to sight, the pillars as large as cathedrals. Under the direction of Thorin, all the dwarves were busy preparing for an attack from a returning Smaug.<p>

It took all of them all day to lower the great stone door into place yesterday, the large inner door the dwarves tried to close years ago to when Smaug attacked. Having more time now, they worked with the ancient, corroded machinery and eventually got it lowered. That door would stand a better chance against Smaug than the great wooden door, which now lay in charred splinters at the entry to Erebor.

The forges the dragon had lit were being kept aflame under Bombur's care, and they were fast loading the huge caldrons full of gold again, utilizing the extensive pulley and car system used to carry ore, gold and jewels from the core of the mountain. The melted gold bath had not killed Smaug, but it did slow him down. Dwalin and others scoured the caverns, and picked through some of the corpses, long dead and dried, to find any weapons and armor they could. They even uncovered the Kings quarters, found his vestments and the fine armor of the royal family. Those vestments Thorin now wore. But they were running low on water and rations.

Thorin stood in the throne room, staring at the exquisitely sculpted, large stone thrones that were surprisingly still intact, left whole by Smaug. His look was determined and sad. How he longed to share this space with his beloved nephews, and how he longed to see his sister Dis back here, in the hearth she used to call home. Save the parts destroyed by Smaug, Erebor was just as he remembered it, as if it stood still in time. He had strolled past the mountains of gold and recalled the insatiable goldlust he saw in his grandfather Thror. He knit his brows. Maybe all they said was true…there was a curse on this gold… he promised himself not to succumb; but, oh, how the gold now called to him. Thorin grabbed his head and growled, shaking off the sensation.

But it was just he now left in the line; his father and grandfather gone, one taken by madness, and eventual death, the other one beheaded during the war. He plodded heavily towards the throne, turning, looking around at his wondrous kingdom in awe, yet it felt…empty. He yearned for it to be filled again by his people, the constant echoing murmurs of dwarves living in the kingdom, the constant faint sounds of hammer against stone, against metal of those mining deep in the mountain.

He heard a small sound; the shuffle of large, bare feet.

"Bilbo." Thorin said, a frown on his face as he turned. Bilbo appeared, in his squeamish, gingerly way, his mannerisms curious as always.

"Yes…Thorin?" he said, sounding meek. Thorin looked over at him.

"Have you found the Arkenstone yet?" he asked, softly, firmly, yet intensely. Bilbo's eyebrows rose in disbelief, and he stammered a bit before displaying a rare bit of crossness.

"But Thorin, the dragon is gone…there will be none that will challenge your right to this kingdom. Why do you need the stone?" Bilbo said, making sure to move his leg behind him, the leg with the pocket, and in that pocket was the very thing in question.

But Bilbo remembered what the dragon had said; that the stone was what drove Thorin's grandfather mad for gold, and would probably do the same to Thorin. Something told him to hide it from the dwarves, by all costs. Was it stupidity? Was it wisdom? Was it the ring?

"We still need it to show our dwarf brethren we have returned to fulfil our destiny and unite the clans." He said, standing before the hobbit. Bilbo pursed his mouth and shook his head.

"No, no, I have not felt it...uh…seen it, um, since Smaug ran after me on the mountain of gold. I was a bit busy trying to keep myself from being burned to a hobbit crisp." He said.

Thorin walked away, eyeing him with curiosity. _Strange things, these hobbits._

"Well, keep looking…" he said, when he heard a rustling sound, made ominous by echoing. Bilibo looked around as well.

"What was that?" Bilbo said.

"I don't know…" Thorin said, backing up to the throne, grabbing a sword. His eyes flashed all around, his body going into a fighting stance. "This place may be infested by bats now, or other flying menaces." Bilbo blinked and turned to Thorin.

"Bats? I hate bats…" he said, pulling his cloak together and making a scowl.

"_Infested! Infested you say?! (squawk) I dare say, it was infested for too long (squawk) with the foul smelling winged beast, and before that, you dwarves!_" A scratchy, high pitched voice said in Westron. Bilbo's eyes went wide and he stared at Thorin. Surprisingly, Thorin's arm with the sword lowered, and a wondering expression came to his eyes

"Carc?" questioned Thorin.

"Roac." The scratchy voice replied. Thorin nodded.

"Who is that?" Bilbo said, nervously. Thorin looked at him.

"Not who…what." Thorin said in a low voice, knowingly.

The fluttering, rustling sound came again from the edges of the walls and a huge, black bird appeared, flapping in the large chamber, circling around, coming to rest on one of the thrones. Its black-blue raven feathers glistened, but were tinged with silver, as was the throat and crest of the bird. It was a stately figure, with its head aloft, one that commanded presence. Thorin nodded his head in reverence, to Bilbo's shock.

"Roac, son of Carc, leader of the Ravens."

"My father has been dead for some time, Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King of Erebor." The bird cackled, the head dipping quickly, in a fast, twitching bird motion, the same show of reverence, the large obsidian eye pinned on Thorin.

"Condolences, Roac. As is your father is so are my father and grandfather." Thorin said.

"My apologies." The bird replied.

"Do you and yours still reside on Ravenhill?" Thorin asked, gingerly.

"There are few of us left, as there are few of you." The bird chirped.

"What brings you into Erebor?" Thorin asked. "You did not come here for idle banter." He said, walking towards the bird.

"Indeed. I thought you should know…your previous…guest…is dead." Roac squawked. Thorin's eyes widened and he approached the throne with the bird quickly. The bird went up in flight. The dwarves were always on good terms with the ravens, but that did not mean they were not skiddish.

"The dragon Smaug? How?" Thorin insisted.

"Maybe you should ask they who near your front door." Roac shrieked, as he flew away into the darkness of the depths of Erebor.

* * *

><p>It was an unpleasant, cold night for the dwarves who left Laketown as exiles, but also as messengers. Once over the icy lake, they plodded on in single file towards the direction of the lonely mountain, going by pure sense of direction, since the skies were dark, the path treacherous. They barely found shelter in the hillside before the hailstorm came. Fili, Oin, and Bofur huddled closely in a shallow cave, crouched under their cloaks, inhaling each other's breath in the small space to retain precious heat, unable to talk over the din of the howling wind outside. They were miserable.<p>

The one most despondent was Fili, however. He barely said a word as they journeyed, head hung low, eyes constantly turning back to the burning wreckage of Laketown. Each step he took away from the place he once held his dying brother's hand was more painful. He felt he had abandoned him; his mother would have been ashamed. Once the hail had stopped, they settled down, lying adjacent to each other for warmth, and decided to stay in the little cave as shelter till morning.

Fili could not sleep, and tossed all night. Finally, Oin sat up.

"For goodness sakes, lad." He said, exasperated. Fili looked his way.

"I can't help it." Fili said, irritable. Oin shook his head.

"You will not do anyone any good, if you do not have good rest. If ye brother lives; Bard will protect him. And he will come back to us when he is good and able." Oin said, eyes cross. Fili looked his way sheepishly.

"Oh, Oin. Don't go talking like you don't understand about missing a brother." Bofur said. He looked back at Fili. "I know how it feels, Fili. When Bifur was struck in the head with the axe, I felt it; like it was through me own skull. He was left for dead on the battlefield, he was, but I knew it, I just knew it, in my bones that he was still alive. So I didn't give up looking for him…"Bofur said, smiling that grin that would provoke a laugh had Fili felt up to it.

"But I did." Fili said, staring ahead. "I gave up on my brother." Oin glared at Bofur, who shook his head.

"No, Fili, you didn't. We just needed to leave, really…or he would not have had a brother to come back to." Bofur leaned over to Fili. "Now close your eyes…"

"What?" Fili growled.

"Just do it." Bofur insisted. Fili grumbled and closed his eyes. "Now just feel him, with your heart, feel it?"

"No…" Fili said, becoming impatient, opening his eyes and glaring at Bofur. Bofur got up slowly and sat before him, lowering his voice.

"Just try, Fili." Bofur nodded, his expression earnest. "Try to find him with your soul, not your mind, not your eyes. Try, please, from deep inside. Think of the times you spent together, when you fought together, laughed together." He said as Fili groaned again.

"That will just make me feel worse." Fili sighed, but then complied anyway and closed his eyes. Bofur waited for a few moments.

Bofur, during the last year, had proved to be an enigma; he was the friendliest of the dwarves, but could be quite critical. He was respected, but exceedingly extroverted, and sometimes he acted like a bit of a buffoon. He seemed the most accepting of others, but could oftentimes be the most outspoken and a bit of a curmudgeon. But he was quite empathetic, and among the thirteen, Bofur was the most spiritual one. He had a profound connection with all natural things. He took Fili's hands and laid the palms on the rock surrounding them.

"We dwarves were made from the sacred stone, hewn from the earth were the seven dwarf fathers by Mahal himself." Chanted Bofur. "The eldest was Durin, the ageless. Within this rock we find our strength, and through this stone we connect to each other." He explained. "As brothers your connection is especially close to Kili. Do you feel him?" He whispered. Fili concentrated and tried to put all else from his mind.

"Yes. I…feel he is still alive, somewhere." Fili said, as his eyes fluttered open, surprised at how sure he felt about it. "He is well." Bofur had a peaceful smile on his face.

"Then he is alive and well and you will see him again." Bofur said. Fili nodded slowly and curled up in a ball against the other dwarves, relieved to have some respite from his sadness, exhaustion finally making him still.

The next morning they rose with the sun and continued on their trek. Fili led while Oin took up the rear, sometimes lagging behind if need arose. Once they saw the overlook, Fili quickly ran ahead, gasping as he took in the stark landscape.

"It is worse than I could have imagined…" Fili sighed, the skeletons of charred, destroyed buildings rising up from the crumbling town. By that point the other two were by his side. Upon arrival to the overlook they stood side by side, and gazed down at the valley of ruins, the fallen city of Dale.

"By my beard, I never thought that the day would come that I would gaze again at this destruction and the halls of my homeland…" Oin said. He turned his face into the wind and stared at the mountain, the gigantic doors of Erebor ripped apart. He squinted, and looked more closely. "The inner stone doors have been shut." Oin said, pointing. "They were unable to close those doors way back then; Smaug attacked with such speed, the guards did not have the chance to release the mechanism."

"Look! The smoke rises from the mountain!" Bofur said, gasping and pointing up at the face of Lonely Mountain. "The forges are still lit!"

"That means they still live!" Fili cried out, the three dwarves sharing a much needed moment of joy, and they clasped arms and slapped each other's backs.

They rushed on towards the large open doors, making their way quickly over the desolate land. Fili, being the youngest, ran far ahead. He stood before Erebor and fell to his knees, breathless. The large outer doors, lying open, the huge timbers torn and to the side like splinters. But several dozen paces within, an ornate, large stone door stood closed, as formidable as the mountain itself.

"Thorin!" He shouted, before the grand entrance. "Thorin!" he repeated, again and again.

"Fili? Is that you?" A voice said, from high above them. Fili looked up. He saw the red hair of Ori looking down from a partially destroyed balcony. "Thank Mahal!" He said, and then he disappeared.

Several long minutes later, a tall slit formed itself from the middle of the rock, where no door had been seen, and a large stone slab pivoted, revealing a slim entry. It swung out and Thorin appeared, several of the others behind him. By that point, Oin and Bofur had caught up to them.

Thorin approached and threw his arms around Fili. The others did the same for the other two…

"By the gods, I am so happy to see you…but…where is your brother?" Thorin said, backing Fili up a bit, his hands on his shoulders, his eyes hard and intent on Fili, a palpable hush coming over the celebrating dwarves. Fili's eyes glazed over and his face went slack. He shook his head. A wash of sadness fell over Thorin's regal features. "Oh, no."

"Uncle, the truth is, we don't really know where Kili is, or if he still lives, but I feel he does." Fili said, his fist on his chest. "We lost him when the dragon destroyed Laketown." Thorin's eyes widened.

"The dragon destroyed Laketown?" Bilbo repeated, appearing behind them all, his face a mask of desperation. Thorin looked back to Bilbo, then back at Fili.

"Most of it." Fili said. Bilbo covered his mouth and gasped.

"But I heard that the dragon was dead." Thorin said, urgently, scanning the land around them. The dwarves that had been in Erebor with him looked at Thorin with shock.

"Smaug IS dead." Fili said, commandingly to Thorin. The other dwarves gasped and spoke among themselves.

"Tell me what happened." Thorin said, his voice low and somber.

"Kili got much worse so we took him back to Bard's house; we tried to make him better but he looked as if he was about to die. Then the orks attacked, and then the elves came and fought them, and the she-elf healed Kili." Fili summarized. "It was amazing, uncle." Thorin had been walking around, rubbing his beard by that time and he stopped short. He furrowed his brows and looked back at Fili, incredulous.

"What elves helped you?" Thorin asked.

"Two of them. One was the Captain of the guard, the one named Tauriel, the red haired one, and the other was a high elf warrior, blue eyes, blonde hair…the mean one." Bofur said. "They killed all the orks."

"That was Legolas, the Elf Prince…" Thorin said, looking pensive. "The son of Thranduil." He said, in a low voice, tapping his chin. "But how did the dragon meet his death?"

"Bard is a descendant of Girion. He had a Black Arrow and used the Windlance to slay the beast." Fili informed him. Bofur walked up next to Fili.

"It would not have been done by man were it not for us leading the dragon in for the kill. With a little help from the Elf prince as well." Bofur said, with some pride.

"You would have been proud of him, Thorin. Your nephew displayed bravery that I had not seen since the Dimrill Dale below the East-gate of Moria, at the Battle of Azanûlbizar." Oin said, walking up closer to Thorin, a knowing look on his face. Thorin looked back to Fili, and nodded, well pleased. Fili would have none of it.

"Pride felt in the face of such destruction is conceit." Fili said, with a frustrated glare. "We left Kili with Bard's children under the care of Tauriel…when we returned we found the house destroyed, falling down." Fili lamented. "Bard's children escaped the wreckage. We could not search for Kili. I have failed my kin..."

"We had to leave because a mob of Lakemen was closing in on us. We barely made it out with our skin on our back." Bofur said.

"Bard promised Kili protection and safe passage if he was found." Oin said. Thorin looked at the two other dwarves, then back at Fili, who was still cross and sad, his head hung low. Thorin stepped up to Fili, lips pursed.

"It sounds as if you did not only what was right, but what was wise, my boy." He said, holding Fili's bent head tenderly until Fili's fawn eyes rose to his. "If Kili still lives, he will return to us. And the worst that could happen is the elves take him as prisoner. He will be treated well by them, and we can negotiate his freedom at a later date." Thorin said softly to his lamenting nephew. "Do not fret; you did well for your brethren this day, Fili. And you acted like a King." Kili looked up at him, brows still knit. Thorin turned to look at all the dwarves and Bilbo, one by one, taking deep breaths.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Thorin said, walking around. He raised his arms up. "The scourge is dead! The siege is over! It means Erebor is ours again!" He said, with such power, all around him raised arms and shouted in triumph. Fili remained on the outskirts, and did not join in the merriment.

"Bard bade me promise to tell you about the destruction of Laketown." Fili said, drawing attention to himself again. "The men of Laketown now have no shelter, no sustenance. They will request our help." Thorin looked at them all, then back at the doors of Erebor.

"Where were the men of Laketown when our people needed help, after the fall?" He said, angrily, defiance in his tone. He turned and strode back towards the stone door. "Come now, Durin's Folk. We must find the Arkenstone to bring together the Kingdoms of our great people again!"

All followed him through the great doors, save Fili and Bilbo, who were looking at each other, disbelief and disappointment on their faces.

Bilbo remembered his interactions with Smaug; the great beast seemed to take Bilbo's concern for the people of Laketown as an indication that they were plotting against the dragon. Which actually they were, but that was no reason to destroy the town, he believed. Bilbo hung his head in despair, guilt eating into him.

_Did I cause the annihilation of Laketown?_ He asked himself. Bilbo walked forward, nearly faltering. The heavy stone in his trousers felt even heavier, after all of this, and was burning a hole in his chest. _But now, what do I do?_

Balin stopped short after walking into the great foyer of Erebor, realizing not all had returned through the stone doors. He turned and saw the two men outside, dark figures, stark against the light of day, and walked back out slowly and waited, just outside the stone door.

"This is not right, and you know it." Bilbo said to Fili, his eyes pleading, his voice despairing.

Fili looked back at Bilbo, and could not answer. Fili walked in a huff towards the door, and approached a worried Balin, standing there. He stopped short and turned his head so Balin could hear.

"If this is what it means to be King, I want nothing of it." Fili said, in a low voice, and then he continued on, into Erebor. Balin looked on as Bilbo fell to his knees.

Balin sighed deeply and shook his head, all of the fears and misgivings he had been having about the Durin fever of gold and Thorin, all growing the last few days, welling up within him once more.

This victory had come at such a great price…

* * *

><p>Kili woke the next day alone in the loft, his host nowhere to be seen. He moved around quietly as the yawns of morning rolled over him, and he stretched up and around, his joints stiff with sleep. A little jab of pain in his leg reminded him not to stretch that particular part of his injured leg any more. He got up and put on a fresh set of clothes that were laid out next to him. This set seemed a little bigger, but he managed to make it work. He looked toward the chest in the corner where Tauriel seemed to be finding an unending supply of clothes for him and her and thought of opening it, maybe to learn a bit more about this elf. But then he thought against it. It would not be right to invade her privacy…<p>

He smiled to himself, well pleased with how the night before had ended, with he and Tauriel promising not to kill each other even if their own peoples would go to war…unlikely but not unheard of. If he was honest with her, he would have told her how he really felt; that he would defend her with his life, but it was not as if she would actually need that help.

He knew Tauriel was older than he, possibly by centuries, but he could not tell just how much older…_Damn these forever young beings,_ he thought. With her being older, he had to admit she was most likely better than he with weapons, given she probably had many years of training more than he did. He sighed, looking up at the ceiling… he did not like the bad dream. Kili was not one to have bad dreams, and this one was disturbing, to say the least. He shook his head, trying to forget about it, and proceeded out of the loft into the main room of the lodge.

He found Tauriel curled up on one of the sturdy couches, looking his way.

"Good morning." She said. Kili could not help the shy smile that crept on his face in her presence.

"Ah, is it morning this time?" He joked. She smirked and looked at him coyly.

"Yes. It is not too long after the sunrise, this time." She replied. He walked over to her, his gait much improved from the previous day. She looked down at his leg. "You are walking better."

"Yes, but not quite back to normal yet." He said, trying to walk a straight line, but flailing, unable to maintain his balance on his injured leg. She nodded, handing him a small bag. He looked at her questioningly.

"What is this?" he said, opening it slowly.

"Breakfast." She said. "All yours." Kili grinned and popped a few berries in his mouth.

"Even though I can't walk all that well yet, do you think I could come with you to the forest later?" Kili asked, almost like a child begging to go out and play. "I will stay out of your way…" The truth was, he was not one to sit still, and staying alone in the Lodge all day would drive him crazy…

"I think we could figure out how to make that happen." Tauriel said, almost feeling Kili's urge to explore. He sat back next to her, eating handfuls of berries and noted the treasures on the table. Tauriel sat forward and reached for a sheathed short sword. She pulled it by its hilt and held it aloft, the smooth, shiny metal glistening like a mirror. Kili gasped.

"Now that is exquisite…" he said, putting down the bag of berries.

"Built by the elf smiths of the first age." She said, tilting her head to the side, her hair falling over her shoulder. "It glows in the presence of evil." Kili glanced at Tauriel, thinking to himself how much more exquisite she was than the sword…

"Here." She said, placing it into his hands. Kili's eyes lit up as he took hold of the rather light, well balanced blade. "It is yours to use while we are in the forest." She said. "Seeing that you have no weapons with you." Kili looked at her with a bright smile of gratitude. She smiled back, reaching forward again to grasp a dark, compact bow. Kili sheathed the sword, put it down and looked at the bow with wonder. Much to his joy, Tauriel handed him the bow.

"I figured you would know what to do with this." She said. He stood up immediately, his hands tracing the bow, the riser and the strings as one who knew. Tauriel smiled to herself.

"It is amazing." He said almost breathless, holding it in the proper stance, pulling back on the string. He released the tension slowly.

"And how is the draw?" She asked.

"Perfect." He said, looking at her softly. "Now…where are the arrows?" He asked, with a playful, excited smile on his face. Tauriel had to hold back her laughter.

Arrows in hand, they walked out onto the balcony outside the lodge, and Kili swiftly knocked an arrow and sent it flying past Tauriel into a nearby tree. Tauriel whipped her head around, looking at the target tree with the quivering arrow, then Kili, her brow raised.

"Just testing it out…the arrow flies true." He said, hobbling over to retrieve the arrow. Tauriel smirked. She would not quarrel with him, even though she was a little miffed. She had spent most of the night sharpening the arrow points, checking how straight the shafts were now just to have him dull or warp them with target practice. Growl. She looked out over the verdant green forest.

"Hmm." Kili mumbled as he looked around him, then he bent over and grabbed a fairly decent sized branch. He looked into the trees, his sharp eyes searching. Tauriel tilted her head in wonder. Kili pulled his arm back and threw the branch into the forest…A flock of birds flew out of the brush a little ahead and below them.

The woosh and rush of birds in flight drew her sight, but the twang of the string of a bow commanded her hearing. One of the larger birds froze while alight, an arrow spearing it…it wafted down to the floor of the forest as the rest of the flock flapped on. She turned to Kili, in amazement. He looked down over the rail with an open mouth of awe at his prize. He glanced back at Tauriel, pleased with himself.

"What was that for?" She said, even though she was truly impressed with Kili's lightning fast reflexes and sharp aim.

"Lunch!" Kili said, a wide, bright smile on his face. Tauriel crossed her arms and shook her head, a chuckle escaping her.

It was going to be quite an interesting day, indeed.


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note:**

**I have this done already (sleepless nights, fits of inspiration) so I just figured I would not wait to post it. I hope you enjoy! **

**Special thanks to The Dwarrow Scholar, Tolkien Gateway, and The One Wiki for invaluable information… **

**I begin with a little background…**

**AW**

* * *

><p>The dwarf kingdoms have one thing in common: they are outwardly male dominated. It is said that less than one third of dwarves are female, but you would never know it; they look just like the men, but wear different clothing. They are rarely seen outside of their homes, beyond the doors of their halls, where they are decidedly in charge; any man-dwarf would tell you that. The ones who are single are guarded fiercely by their relatives. Yet, it is the female dwarf who picks her suitor, and asks for marriage. The men do have the last word, to say yay or nay to the proposal, and if jilted, the females usually do not try again. Divorce is unheard of, and remarriage, even after being widowed, is shunned. Engagement and marriage was a lengthy, expensive, and long winded affair that lasted over a year. It was no wonder the numbers of dwarves were dwindling in middle earth…But while the dwarves of Erebor were exiled on the move, the normal, involved rituals of marriage were not given much mind, the females had sex freely, sometimes for money to survive, and many young dwarves were born out of wedlock. It was a good thing, or else their clan would have died out completely. Kili and Fili were born into this upturned world, to a doting, strong willed mother who, as the head of her house, was more outwardly visible than most women in their society.<p>

Dis was tall for a dwarf, like her brother, and with her regal features, her hazel eyes, and curly golden locks she was considered very pretty, also by human standards, especially when she plucked her beard and went to work as a maid in the houses of wealthy men. After a few rough starts, she worked for many years for this one gentleman, who showed her much favor, and paid her well. He was kind and gentle, distinguished looking, with dark skin and black and grey peppered hair, and wise, dark eyes, but he was crippled and sick too early for his years, which is why he required her services almost daily. His tenure as a soldier had worn down his body, destroyed his joints, and eventually led to his death from a weakened heart. Dis wept bitterly when he died, and that was when she insisted Thorin take the whole family to the Blue Mountains, to start a new life.

It was during these years, when they lived in the cities of man, that Dis had her two boys, much to her brother's dismay. He was appalled that even the royal family had these occurrences, and the siblings had many bitter fights. That is why the boys knew little of their father. Only Dis knew the father, and she insisted she loved him, but she refused to tell her brother who it was, so he would not do anything stupid like demand justice for his sister. Much like everything else, Thorin learned to forgive his sister, and love the boys, despite their questionable origins, and he became their father figure. He never found out who their father was, even after they moved to the Blue Mountains.

Since not every male dwarf had a wife, intimacy was hard to come by , and most dwarfs were contented with the plutonic company of brothers and other men, and they poured their energies into their crafts and work. But some dwarves, thankfully few, were more inclined to want to marry and have a family, though. Dis realized quickly she had one of those young men on her hands; her youngest boy. Kili grew up in that society, where his desires, decidedly overactive for a dwarf, found no outlet. From very young, he was constantly seeking out the company of women, many of which would pay him no mind; dwarf women were scarce and hidden from view. As he travelled, he was surprised that he found all females attractive, even hobbits and humans, and especially elves, to his silent dismay. That was probably why he loved to travel so much. So, for years he went on like this and it all culminated to this moment in time, where he found himself alone with this gorgeous, strong elf…He was in heaven…or was it hell?

* * *

><p>Tauriel sat quietly on the bench outside the lodge at twilight thinking on the day with a small smile on her face, her belly full from another fine meal prepared by her young guest. She was learning so much about dwarves; at least this one. She learned that Kili liked to sleep and eat. And talk. And eat. And talk. She found that he was brave and strong, and was not afraid of pain, or much else. And he loved to hunt and joke and have fun. He had a loud, infectious laugh that came from deep inside, and an easy, wide smile that brightened his face and made his eyes sparkle with mischief. He approached everything with a sense of excitement and wonder that was refreshing. Kili made her laugh so much this day, even when he was not trying to, that her ribs were beginning to ache a bit. After cleaning up from dinner, they parted and went to be by themselves for a while; Tauriel outside on the terrace, Kili to the loft for a nap. He would not admit it, but limping through the forest had been strenuous for the recently injured dwarf.<p>

Tauriel also learned that Kili was only 75 summers on Middle Earth, and that he had spent his young life moving with his family as nomads, a displaced people from place to place, then working as a traveling guard as soon as he was able, with a brother he loved dearly always by his side, and an uncle he idolized. She also learned about all his companions and their mission to Erebor. He talked about their trials and adventures, and by this point she could name all the members of their party. Oin, Gloin, Ori, Dori, Nori, Balin, Dwalin, Bombur, Bifur, Bofur, Fili and Thorin were the dwarves, and they traveled oftentimes with Gandalf the Grey, a wizard, but she could not remember seeing the hobbit Bilbo. Tauriel also learned that Kili was very close to his mother, Dis, who taught him how to wield a bow and cook meals fit for kings, just to keep her overactive, younger son from driving her mad. As he told the tale, Tauriel could practically see his stoic but loving mother tenderly placing the leather pouch around Kili's neck at the start of this latest odyssey. And in the pouch was a rune stone that had inscribed, in ancient Khuzdul, the words: '_Return to Me'_. That rune stone was how they met…

Tauriel looked up to the stars, smiling and in awe. She loved this little lodge for the splendor that sparkled above her. Above the hulking darkness of the trees in the forest were the multitudes of stars. She glanced about, letting her mind float free in the open-eyed meditative state of elven restfulness. Not really sleep, it was a way to remain aware of one's surroundings while letting the body and mind rejuvenate. In this state, in this place, she could swear she communed with the elves that had passed before her, their voices the wind in the trees, their spirits the twinkling stars, lingering throughout time. Not much time went by when she heard the distinct limping gait of Kili moving about the lodge. She blinked her eyes and ventured back into the present, turning towards the door as he entered onto the landing.

"I hope I am not disturbing you." Kili said, softly, his eyes shining, his warmly colored skin a pale blue in the moonlight. He was looking so much better than when they first came; the clothes she found he fashioned favorably for his build. He looked as if he was wearing vestments made for him.

"No. It is a fine night to share." she said, motioning to a spot beside her on the bench. He hobbled over slowly, steadying himself with one hand while holding two mugs in the other. Tauriel took one of the mugs and helped him sit comfortably beside her. His shorter legs hung freely. She smiled and smelled the warm concoction he brought. It smelled of honey and berry, flowers and mint. It tasted just as divine.

"Just a spot of tea; I know you don't feel the cold so much." He said, smiling, and then cast his eyes down a little to his drink. She let her eyes linger on the soft, dark waves leading from his head, the small ears, the gentle curves of his features, and the shadow of soft hair on his face. He was adorable, when she looked at him like that. "There are so many flavors here in these woods, I could make a thousand teas and still be lacking in variety." He said, then frowned. "It is a pity we will not be here long enough to make wine or beer."

"I do so enjoy something warm and sweet to appreciate the stars with." She said, looking at him pointedly, before sipping her tea then gazing away, up to the heavens, trying hard not to smile while Kili's cheeks darkened. Sometimes she teased him quite by accident. Sometimes not; but was it just being cruel? She looked back at him.

"Right…you are welcome." he said, his low voice rumbling. Looking up and to the north, he gasped. "The moon is full and bright…laden with light, she is." Tauriel looked his way. The moon was silver and sparking, with an aura surrounding it, as it does on clear, cold still nights. He laughed and looked out to the forest, shaking his head.

"What is so funny about a beautiful moon?" she asked, knowing full well she would start Kili the storyteller on his path…she enjoyed his tales. His life was so much shorter than hers, yet was so long traveled and filled with excitement and danger. A young life, full of adventure. A life well spent…He looked up at her, his warm eyes large and adoring. He looked down again.

"I just was remembering something. But you must be weary of my tales." He started, he looked back up to her, with the same beguiling smile she first saw in the dungeons. "Or maybe you think my tales untrue…"

"I am not weary of your words and I do not think you fib. Please…tell me." She said, smiling sweetly at him while sipping the tea. Even if she was had not been interested in what he said, she would still listen intently. She loved the sound of his voice. Especially when he said her name…

"As a child I used to believe the moon followed me wherever I went. I used to play hide and seek in the shadows of the trees in the forest nearby. I thought I was so special. No one else had the moon follow them like this, I thought. One night I was sure I would outwit the moon. I was bound and determined to outrun her."

"None can outrun the moon." She said with a little laugh.

"I know that now, but tell that to me as little dwarf in the Blue Mounts… "he smiled, the sparkle in his eyes filing her with warmth. He turned to her, in the excitement of his tale… "That night, I packed up my rucksack with some drink, some bread and cheese and snuck out of my window after Fili fell asleep. The moon was out, and I ran into the woods. I ran and ran and ran, over root and under bough, over creek and hill. I did not look back until I was a good ways away. And when I looked up, there she still was, glaring at me in the heavens." He said, looking back at the moon. "I kept running away from her for a few more hours, until I grew weary and fell asleep on a mound of moss in the a low branches of a twisted oak. When I woke up, I was cold and shivering, and the moon had gone." He smiled widely "I had outrun her…but the problem was, I had outrun myself! I was lost and alone in the woods, with nothing for company but the stars. Maybe that is why I thought starlight cold and distant; at that time I was alone and frightened and did not find comfort in their glow." He said, a pensive expression on his handsome face. He looked back at Tauriel.

"So…what happened? You obviously did not get eaten by wolves…" she said. Kili's eyebrows rose.

"Oh yes, well I ate my meal, fully believing it was my last, and I walked about aimlessly until morning, big goblin tears rolling down my face. I cried and cried." He said. Tauriel smirked. "I was barely beyond a babe in age!" She felt her face change into a concerned expression.

"I understand." She said, remembering when she was young and small and alone in the woods…Kili noted her change in expression with concern. "Go on please…" she urged.

"Eventually, I heard the sound of dwarves calling my name. I was found!" he said, with a sigh of relief. "When they woke in the morning to find me missing, my mum gathered up everyone in the village and the entire village went in search of me for hours and hours..." He smirked. "Uncle Thorin was ready to beat my behind raw for the worry I caused them…but when they returned me to my mother, she threw a big party that night. But she would not let me go anywhere without Fili for a month. And she did not let Thorin strike me."

"So that is why she thinks you reckless?" Tauriel said, tenatively. Kili laughed.

"Well…probably, yes. That and a hundred other examples." He smiled.

"What did your father think of that?" she asked, wondering about the man he had not yet mentioned. Kili looked at her and blinked a little. Tauriel saw the change in expression, and she looked away. "I'm sorry…" she said, feeling she had said something wrong. She felt his hand on her arm.

"No, don't be." He said, as her sorry eyes found his. He sighed. "I know little of my father; Uncle Thorin is the only father I know." He said. "After what happened at Erebor and the battle with the Orks, there is very little of my family left. My mother worked hard to keep me and my brother Fili fed in the world of man, until we finally settled in the Blue Mountains." Tauriel nodded. They sat in silence for a few moments.

"Tauriel?" Kili said, softly. Tauriel gasped a bit internally as her name rolled off his tongue. She looked back at him; he had a soft, questioning expression. "I was just curious…" He started, but then stopped abruptly, settling back on the bench. "Never mind."

"Yes?" she replied, urging him.

"What of your family? You never speak of them, yet we are here, in a place you say you used to love as a child." Tauriel looked over at Kili, her face a bit saddened. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want." He said, moving forward to stand up. She put her hand on his, which was on the wood bench between them. He sat back down looked back up to her face, slowly. His eyes were dark pools of wonder.

"I do want to tell you." She said. She took a breath. "My parents were…killed by orks when I was a small elfling." She said shakiliy, surprised how upset she was just remembering. Kili put his hand on hers, and grasped it tightly, as if to give her strength. "I can barely remember it. We were out for a stroll in the woods. Back then, Mirkwood was not as it is now…it was full of life and green growing things. I was exploring on my own when the ork pack attacked my father. My mother bid me hide, and she rushed to help him. They were killed. Right in front of me…I did not see it, but I did hear it…" she continued, softly. "You see, I too know much about being young and alone, afraid in the woods." Tauriel breathed a bit heavily, to resolve the sadness that was coming over her. She concentrated on Kili's grasp, his thumb gently stroking her hand.

"I'm so sorry to hear that." He said softly, barely above a whisper. She nodded, finding a way to continue.

"I was lucky to be found some hours later by a party of elves traveling through the woods." She paused, tilting her head to the side "Then I was taken in, adopted, in a way by…" She paused. Kili's brow rose as she looked up at him. "By the King of Mirkwood."

"Kind Thranduil?" he said, both eyebrows raised.

"Yes. One and the same." She admitted. "I know only him as a parent since then. When he found me, he thought of me as a gift. Elflings are like treasure; because elves have so few children." She looked down at their hands, the fingers entwined together. She had not even consciously moved her hands to do that… "He was happy to take care of me, at least for a while."

"I see." Kili said softly. "So you are …. his adopted daughter."

"Something like that." She said, a little smirk on her face. He grunted.

"And Prince Legolas…he is like…a brother to you…" he said, but it was more like a question.

"He was full grown when I came to live with them. But he was generally tolerant of me, and grew to be protective of me. Now, we are very close…" Tauriel stopped short, and would not perseverate further on that complicated, confusing relationship. She thought she heard a little relieved sigh coming from Kili.

"I see. So you are …a princess?" he continued, a smile on his face. She smirked and looked down.

"Hardly. King Thranduil and Legolas are high elves. I am but a lowly Sylvan elf, obviously not one of the ruling class." She said, her other hand stroking her fire red hair, her tone becoming serious. "I was reminded of that fact once I had grown old enough to understand those differences." Kili looked taken aback.

"Oh. That must have been difficult." He said, awkwardly.

"Not really. Thranduil is not unkind; he has always been supportive of me. When I was young, he was very fatherly, but, over the years, slowly, he grew distant, more …formal. The distance between us became a chasm." She looked up into the woods, and sighed. "But, you get used to such things after a few hundred years." she said. Kili fell quiet, their hands still clasped.

Kili wondered exactly how old this elf by his side was. He squeezed her hand.

"You can get used to anything after several hundred years, I would imagine." He said thoughtfully. "Or just a few days…" he said, softly. Tauriel smiled and squeezed his hand as well. She mused on exactly how different Kili was from her elf companions.

"You do talk a lot." Tauriel commented, almost to herself, a slight smile on her face. "More than any elf or dwarf I have met…" Kili looked back at her with mild surprise, and then he became a little miffed.

"I only talk when I'm bored. Or worried. Or happy. Or sad…" he said, scrunching his brows together in mild annoyance. Tauriel tilted her head and raised her brow. "Ok. All the time…" He admitted.

Kili's eyes narrowed and he looked down and forward giving her a little sideways glance as he unclasped their hands and crossed his arms. He pursed his lips closed. Tauriel instantly felt a little sorry for what she said, but had to struggle not to smile as he pouted; she could not help but to think that Kili looked irresistible with that expression on his face.

"Not that there is anything wrong with that…" Tauriel said, trying to rescue the situation. Tauriel loved talking and laughing with Kili. She did not want that to change. "It is just that, after all our conversations, I feel I have known you for a good part of my life." Kili just gave a little disgruntled huff and looked away. Tauriel stifled a laugh and moved closer to him, allowing her hand to linger on his thigh. She saw his dark eyes look down at her hand and look over at her. She glanced over his strong profile and the dark locks that fell from his head and hung around his shoulders, and the muscles now tensed in his jaw.

"Hurmph." He said, pursing his lips closed.

"Oh, don't act like that. I rather like our conversations." She confessed. "And your voice." She saw Kili's jaw relax. "In Mirkwood, we are often surrounded by silence. Surrounded by darkness. Much of our discussions center on fighting and tactics and defending the kingdom." She said, a little sadness tinging her voice. Her head dropped to the side. "With you, there is a lightness in my world…" Kili turned his head to face her, thoughtful expression on his face. "A freedom I had not yet experienced." She mused.

"Hmm." Kili grunted in response, trying his hardest to let Tauriel do the talking for a change. Tauriel looked out into the distance.

"Our king seems to think the best way to protect our people is to isolate our people, limit ourselves to our lands, ignore all that occurs beyond our borders, retreat to the fortress in the middle of the forest, and conceal us all in the kingdom behind heavy doors so that we may continue to live out our long lives… safely." She looked down.

"It sounds like a dreary existence." Kili said, his face relaxed, furrowing his brows. "For those who do not sleep and live hundreds and thousands of years." He paused. "And not a life you want." Tauriel raised her brows.

"King Thranduil has reasons for his actions." She said. "They stem from lessons learned over his many eons on middle earth." She said, knitting her brows. "But must agree; I feel a long life in lived seclusion is one that is wasted." She breathed deeply. "Mirkwood was once beautiful and lush and full of life. To ignore the evil that is growing around us is to turn our refuge into a prison." She said. Kili nodded slowly.

"True. But you risk alienation with such thoughts, no doubt." Kili said. She looked back at him. "You left your lands, ventured to Laketown, and risked your life to save the life of an adversary." He continued, softly. "Surely, your King would probably not look kindly upon your recent actions." He smiled shyly and put his hand on hers. "But for those actions, I am forever grateful."

Tauriel looked at their hands lying together on his leg, and that now familiar warmth rise from her chest to her face whenever he touched her softly like this. His thumb began to stoke her hand slowly. Her chest tightened. Her eyes rose to his face; he was looking down. His movements were slow and intense, his hand warm on hers. They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments. An unmistakable, yet not unpleasant tension was building.

"Can our great peoples learn to feel anything other than hate?" Kili finally said, to break the quiet. "Can enemies with such deep wounds, old bitter memories, can we, such long lived creatures ever learn forgiveness?" He said, his voice low and lamenting.

"I don't know, Kili." She answered softly, closing her eyes. "But it may yet happen."

All she could answer for was herself, not for her people. What she did know was how she now felt, yet she still did not quite understand it. She felt no hate for this dwarf. What she felt was quite the opposite. She drunk in the energy and strength of his presence, the slight heaviness of his warm hand on hers, and wondered why her heart was beating so fast.

"I do know the gift of mercy is a healing salve." He said, in his low voice. She nodded, and looked at him with a small smile.

"As is gratitude." Tauriel said. She turned her hand over to grasp his; they held each other's hands tightly again. She closed her eyes with the intensity of the emotion she was feeling as a wave. She heard him start to speak softly, his voice tremulous.

"All …I know right now… is what I feel for one elf…" he said. Tauriel raised her eyes to his. His face was serious, but his eyes were filled with adoration; an intensity and a longing that held her glance and struck a chord within her that all at once made her feel enlightened yet frightened. He let go of her hand and raised it to stroke her cheek. Tauriel let out a gasp as his fingers lightly brushed her skin. She looked into his warm, dark eyes.

Kili leaned in towards her, hesitantly, slowly, his eyes sweeping across her face for any sign. Tauriel leaned towards him and lowered her chin, to send him the message she knew he was waiting for.

Her eyes fluttered closed as their lips met. Kili's kiss was warm and soft and sweet, and their lips fit together as if meant to. This simple, gentle touch was so intimate. She sucked a breath slowly in; his spicy-musky scent lingered strong in her nostrils. She raised her hand to hold his cheek, touching the strong muscles beneath the soft hair of his shadow; she opened her lips to receive his gently probing, moist tongue. All else around Tauriel faded, all that there was to existence was these physical sensations on her lips, her face and hand, and the ache in her chest as her heart pumped wildly.

Their lips parted and they drew away from each other, just a little. Tauriel opened her eyes just as Kili opened his, a look of surprise on his face. Tauriel gasped.

"This… is madness." She whispered. She sighed but did not want to move a muscle, to move away from the one who just gave her that profoundly sweet, precious kiss.

"Yes…we must be crazy…." Kili admitted, his low voice smooth, reverberating through her. His eyes blinked slowly, and became softer. Their breaths were growing more and more rapid.

"Now what do we do?" Tauriel wondered aloud, almost breathless. This was dangerous, uncharted territory. Kili gazed deep into her eyes with a tenderness that made her gasp. He held her face and approached her again. Her body complied and she leaned back into him…

"I have some ideas…" he whispered, just as their lips met again. The butterflies in Tauriel's stomach did backflips…

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>

**Well, there you have it…this chapter was burning a hole in my hard drive. ***sigh****Let the hate mail begin… Wink wink to you, Syblime, Lexielewie…**

**AW**


	17. Chapter 17

**Authors Note**

**Ok, ok, I finally broke down and saw the trailer for Five Armies. ****All I know is that I will be there on December 17, with a box of tissues because I will be bawling through the entire movie. I don't recommend sitting next to me…****I have had these characters in my head so much, it has become personal…My fave 3 look so gorgeous…**

**I have been analyzing it, and from what I can gather, my fic will take a few turns away from canon, so it is officially AU, because of plot vectors I have already started, or future ones that are so much a part of my headcanon that I can't change them now.****I will work what I can discern of the storyline from the very somber trailer into some of my scenes.**

**I am going to really try to finish this before the movie comes out, but life is such that I may have to take some long hiatuses. ****For now, I will try to pile it on…**

**Thank you for the reviews and comments; those who have visited and enjoy LMTF please review…I like to hear what you think. ****Especially my fellow shippers…**

**AW**

* * *

><p>It should have been enough that the beautiful elf before him actually let him get that close to her, hold her hand, see her laugh and smile up close, learn about her life. By that point, Kili was so captivated and full of longing that he was willing to risk life and limb just to try to get one kiss from the elf who was making his insides twist, this elf who's mere presence was driving him crazy. And if Tauriel, the fighter that she was, did not want to be kissed, well, he risked getting hit at least, broken bones for the worst. But it would be worth it.<p>

But that was not quite what happened.

He was shocked she had let him kiss her that first time, on the terrace, and what a kiss it was…He felt he could fly, the moment he touched her lips with his. Her lips were so soft, her mouth so sweet, the sensation set off an explosion in his chest that made him gasp, and all at once he wanted to shout with happiness and break down in tears with the release of that expectation. They stayed out under the stars, arms surrounding each other, lips exploring and bodies pressing together, as much as the hard bench, his healing leg, and the position they were in would allow. He stroked her face with trembling fingers, and brushed her cheeks with his lips, gasping as he felt her breath on him, as she moaned, a breathy, sultry sound that made him ache for her even more. Even with that display of enjoyment, Kili sensed she was holding back a bit, tentative, unsure.

At one point, Tauriel pushed back away from him, her face serious, and she gasped. She stood up quickly and walked to the edge of the terrace, and held on to it tightly, her back to him. Kili sat there, silent and still, feeling as if his heart was permanently lodged in his throat, his chest with a strange sensation of emptiness. He looked down to the floor and gripped the bench, tracing the intricately patterned floorboards. He closed his eyes.

_Oh gods, what was I thinking? . I don't believe it. Elves and dwarves…they just don't…kiss. But we just did and …it felt so good…But, did I offend her? And now what…what do I do, what can I say? _

Kili could understand why she had her misgivings, given the circumstances. He was a dwarf. And was her prisoner. And a fraction of her age. But yet, in the end, he was just showing her just how he felt…

He looked up at Tauriel, who was ahead of him several paces; her face tilted up towards the night sky. He stood up slowly and took a few steps towards her.

"Tauriel…" he said, shakily. Tauriel started to turn around slowly. "I…I'm sorry if I…" he said, his low voice soft. Her head whipped around and she looked directly into his eyes. He was surprised at their intensity.

"Don't be." She said. Kili blinked a little, his heart skipped a beat, and he breathed a sigh. He approached her slowly, her eyes on him as he stood next to her. "I'm not."

"Good." He replied. She turned back to look out over the darkened woods, her hair pushed aside by the gentle breeze so he could gaze at her features. She looked down and held out her small, slender hand; he took it in his.

That is when they paused and really looked at each other for a while as they held hands. He looked up, into her crystal green eyes, the gentle, sloping nose, the pointed chin, and the long, languid neck, adoring every silken inch. Her red hair looked deeper, but still had a glow as it wafted with the breeze in the light of the moon. He brought her hand to his lips and he kissed it. Tauriel eyes floated over his features with such gentleness, he felt as if a feather was stroking his skin. A little smile came to his lips just as it always did in her presence. She responded with her own sweet little smile, and it felt like sunshine in the night.

He broke the distance and approached her to embrace her, taking a chance, and he was thrilled she complied…

He pulled her close slowly on the terrace of the treetop lodge in the quiet forest, a blanket of stars for their ceiling, a moon as their lamplight. He held her tight, and put his head against her chest, his arms wrapped around her strong back, her slim waist, and he felt her chest rise and fall with quickened breaths as he listened to her breathing, and her heart beating fast. His nostrils were filled with her scent; a faint, flowery, musky perfume that permeated his head and sent his mind reeling.

He remembered the feel of her against his back the first night they were there; and now that he felt her close against his chest, it was infinitely better. She rested her head on his, and her hand buried itself in his hair, and her other arm wound itself around his shoulders, rubbing his back gently. All at once, Kili felt his heart fill with joy like it never had before. He could die in these arms and it would be alright.

He heard her breath slow and her heart calm. He did not know how long they held on to each other. To him, it felt like forever, but yet just a moment. His leg eventually reminded him that he had to eventually move as it started to ache. It must have been quite late; they had been there for hours, as the moons movement across the sky informed him. He backed away from her, releasing himself from that wonderful embrace.

"I'm a bit tired." he said, tentatively. She nodded, in understanding, her lips pursed just a little. He took her hand and squeezed it. "I think I'll head in…" he said. He looked down at their hands and let it go, stealing a glance into her eyes as he limped back into the lodge.

Once the door closed behind him he took a deep breath. Honestly, the specter of the loft was looming, but where else would he go? He had been sleeping close to her, in the loft for the last few days…and she had seen him practically naked…but now, it was different, somehow.

It was now Tauriel who had to make a decision...

* * *

><p>Intimacy is not something easy, for an elf. Love and physical desire are not things that are discussed casually in their society, especially not in the more rigid, militaristic ones like Mirkwood. When not embroiled in the particulars of warfare and protection of the kingdom, elves frequently became involved by the pursuit of beautiful things such as music and fine art and the creation of such things over lengthy periods of time. It was because of these pursuits that the elves were usually surrounded with such intricately designed, delicate things, their homes perfectly appointed, their cities breathtakingly beautiful. They matured slowly, and reached adulthood by 100 years.<p>

Love is a deeply spiritual journey for an elf, as is betrothal and marriage, and sexuality is a demonstration of that love, for the creation of children. There was no premarital sex or adultery in their society; with few exceptions. They often said that there was love at first sight, however, many elves would dispute that, finding their eventual partners later in life after knowing them for years. They would only conceive and bear a child during times of peace, and the vast majority of elven couples had few children in this age. In fact, in the case of romance and love, it remained much a mystery until it was uncovered by those who dared to expose themselves enough to experience it, to reap its rewards, yet dwell near forever in whatever pain it may cause, which is why they approached it cautiously. For Tauriel this was the case.

Being with an elf in the way she was just with Kili would have been familiar and comfortable, expected; because she was well past the age of maturity, and ready for betrothal. But she had spent that time instead training and becoming captain of the guard, besides the unreachable Prince Legolas always. She was well known as a bit of a rebellious soul in her circles. But…being with a dwarf? Was the absolute audacity of being with Kili, the idea of it so intriguing or was her feeling more … personal?

As she stood alone, staring over the dark woods, Kili remained in her mind's eye…the gentle waves of dark hair framing warm colored skin, masculine, strong features and smoldering eyes. She was not with just any, smelly, ugly dwarf. This was Kili, a handsome, young, prince warrior who caught her eye the moment he came into view. Every interaction they had since they first met only proved it to her more; there were unreasonable feelings for him she could not deny, something she could not resist, a curiosity smoldering within her. She felt their uncanny connection, and was drawn to him like a moth to flame. But would she get burned?

She could not just rush into anything brash; this dwarf, who, even though she felt quite close to him, was little more than a stranger a mere few days ago. But he nearly died in the same timeframe…So Tauriel took a breath, gave another glance to her favorite stars and headed into the Lodge slowly, to let happen what may.

* * *

><p>Kili eventually left the terrace and went back up to the loft partially because of his need to rest his leg, which was beginning to ache more and more, but he pushed it out of his mind. He also did it so that Tauriel would progress at her own pace, for his desires were making him impulsive; and that would not do with Tauriel. What he knew of elves was that they were stoic, methodical, distant creatures, and the wood elves were even more so than their Rivendell counterparts; what he was feeling from her was trepidation and uncertainty. And that would not do, for him.<p>

Kili stripped down to a single, comfortable layer of clothes and lay on the mattresses, fully expecting to stare at the ceiling for most of the night alone, but he managed to fall asleep within seconds.

It was not too much later, he thought, when Tauriel joined him. He felt her body come closer, in the dark and he lifted his head and moved a bit to let her know that he was awake. Once she was near, he let her figure their positions, moving slowly, not wanting to remind her that what was occurring was…unusual, to say the least.

Wrong? It did not feel that way…it felt wonderful.

She finally settled down, lying lengthwise next to him, her head resting in the hollow between his neck and shoulder, her body below his arm, her arm winding around his torso. He wrapped his arms around her and held her quite close, barely able to contain his excitement. Or was it fear? Kili felt a soft place within him melt, yet ache. He breathed deeply with wide open eyes, barely believing what he was holding in his arms…

"Tauriel?" he asked. Her eyes met his.

"Yes?" She answered. He loved the way that word sounded, coming from her.

"Are you here to keep me warm?" he asked. "Or keep my nightmares at bay?" Tauriel smiled widely and her soft laugh filled him with warmth. His question had the intended consequence; to lighten the mood.

"Both." She answered. Kili waited a moment before his next question, this one more serious. He would not tolerate regret…

"Are you sure this…is what you want?" he asked, stroking her arm. Her face became serious and she paused…Kili withdrew his hand.

"I don't know." She said, her eyes with a touch of warning, her body stiffening before him. Instinctively he loosened his hold, as if to reassure her she could escape. He paused, and then leaned forward.

"You, know…I could never hurt you." He whispered, his own fears escaping. She looked down to his lips and back up to his eyes again.

"Oh, yes you could, Kili." She said, softly, looking away. "More than you think." Kili knit his brows.

He assumed that she meant her delicate heart, not her strong, warrior body. He hoped she knew that his heart, his soul, was resting in those elegant, delicate hands…but he was willing to take a chance. Was she?

Kili tilted her chin up and waited for her eyes to meet his.

"I will NEVER hurt you." He promised, solemnly. Tauriel let a little smile flutter over her face as he kissed her again. He held her around her waist, feeling the tension in her body release.

The ache in his leg turned into a stabbing pain. He grunted loudly and sat up, grabbing his leg, rubbing it.

"What's wrong?" Tauriel said, moving aside to let him sit up. Kili winced.

"My leg…all of a sudden. It just hurts…" he said, pulling up the pant leg to show the wound, still well dressed.

"Maybe you twisted your leg or something…" she said, unwrapping the bandage, revealing a pink, healthy-appearing, well healing wound on his outer thigh. Kili looked up at her, confused. Tauriel shook her head. "It looks fine."

"I know…it just started." He said, rubbing the wound, scratching his head. Before his eyes, Tauriel's eyes turned from confusion to an angry stare. "Tauriel?" he asked, now quite confused.

"Where is your sword…"she asked, in an urgent, low tone.

"Downstairs, on the table, but …" Kili answered. In a second, Tauriel had gotten up and rushed out of the loft. Kili ripped off the rest of his bandages and struggled to follow her. He heard her practically growl.

By the time he reached the main room, Tauriel was putting on her tunic, boots and weapons with some urgency, her back to him. Kili approached her slowly, completely dumfounded. In a swift move, she sheathed her sharp twin knives in the leather harness on her back.

"Tauriel, what is going on?" he asked. She turned her body to the side and unsheathed the sword she had given him. Kili gasped. It glowed an unearthly blue. She glared at the blade, teeth practically bared.

"Orks…" She spat, looking at him with a fierce fire in her eyes. "I can't let them find us."

She exited the lodge quickly, her body a tightly wound fighting machine again. She launched herself in to the treetops, grabbing a vine and she swung into the night.

Tauriel set out the direction of the sounds of scrunching, lumbering footsteps clumsily advancing through the woods. She didn't care how many there were. She just wanted them all dead.

She finally got a vague sight of the beasts, at least a dozen that she could see. They were as dark as dung and just as vile. She pulled back her bow, and fired the first arrow, skewering two with that shot…They all turned to her, enraged. _Let the battle begin_, she thought bitterly, blinded with wrath…

She took out as many as she could at medium range with arrows then switched to her knives. The first wave she took out with ease, but there were more and more coming… _How many of these horrid things are there?_ The vague words of her lifelong friend echoed in her head…"_Tauriel, you can't take on a whole battalion of orks on your own…_"

As she was grappling with one ork, she spied another ork's arrow leveled at her…That would be a mortal shot for her... Then the ork dropped with a death cry, an arrow through its chest… She smirked to herself.

_I am not alone, am I?_

* * *

><p>Kili rushed out on to the terrace, looking into the dark woods where Tauriel's red hair disappeared into the night. He nearly shouted out after her, but at the last second held his words because that would do no good. It would have announced their place to the hulking black beasts. He swung around and rushed back into the lodge.<p>

He would not let her go into this dark night alone. Not while he still drew breath…

Kili would not be left behind in this battle; his warrior soul would not allow it. He threw on his clothes quickly, as he wrapped a belt around his aching leg tightly, to stop it from feeling anything. The next thing over his shoulder was the quiver with the elven arrows, the bow over his chest and the elven sword on his waist, sheathed to hide the haunting blue glow. He stepped out again on the terrace and grabbed at the rope that still hung from the branch near the trunk of the tree. He breathed heavily and made a quick, perilous descent.

His arrival to the floor of the forest was not as graceful or painless as he would have liked, but he was in one piece at the bottom. He listened intently, turning all around, and then rushed towards some guttural yells that suddenly erupted some way deep in the forest. The sounds of death… He ran through the underbrush as fast and as best he could, the anticipation of engaging a mutual enemy making his senses sharper, and his intentions steeled.

He burst into a clearing crawling with the hulking fiends as they surrounded Tauriel, who's eyes were on fire, her knives and bow and body moving with calculated, deadly speed. Kili immediately felt fear for her and rage at the creatures threatening her. He quickly sent arrows flying into the fray, two at a time, the sharp, sure staffs slaying creatures to Tauriel's left and right. She turned to him briefly, with a fleeting show of surprise before elegantly bending backward to avoid a deadly mace, twisting around to deliver a deadly blow into the creature's chest from one of her knives. Kili continued on towards her, unsheathing his blade, and raged on, slashing and stabbing the deadly shadows that seemed to be coming from everywhere. They fought back to back, as seasoned combatants do, all Kili's swiftness and experience coming to fruition, engaging beasts long before they had a chance to react. Even though he was very skilled, that did not even come close to matching Tauriel's deadly grace.

Within minutes the two unlikely partners were surrounded by dead bodies of orks and wargs and the night was again free of their growls and screeches; all that could be heard was the rapid breaths of a dwarf and elf in the woods and the constant night sounds of the creatures. of the forest.

"Are there any more alive you can see…or smell?" Tauriel said, through tight lips and bared teeth.

"Not that I can see…but I know there are there…" Kili growled, waving his glowing sword into her visual field. She grunted and nodded, peering out into the night.

A warg they thought was dead jumped up on its haunches and launched itself at Kili, knocking him down to the ground, the wide jaws threatening to swallow his head whole…Kili yelled out in defiance and buried his blade in the beast's chest…just as an arrow speared its throat.

Kili pushed the beast off of himjust in time to see Tauriel running full speed through the underbrush towards a rapidly escaping ork.

He took off after them. Kili saw Tauriel stop and draw her bow; he held his breath but saw something out of the corner of his eye; another ork; bow drawn. He rushed toward it, swinging hard, but the arrow left the bow a split second before his sword separated its head from its shoulders…Then he heard a sound that tore into his heart.

Somewhere in the distance Tauriel screamed out in pain.

As he stood up by the now dead ork, the sword lost its glow, the brilliance marred by the dark blood upon the blade.

"Tauriel!" Kili shouted, eyes wide and face set in a fierce scowl. H searched the darkened, quiet forest with fear before he heard it…the faint groans of someone in pain.

He followed the sound and eventually found Tauriel, as she fell to the ground on hands and knees, an arrow sticking out of her back. Kili gasped.

"Oh no…" he said, rushing to her side. Tauriel was taking quick, shallow breaths. The arrow in her back felt like fire and hot iron, filling her chest with pain.

"Kili…pull it out…now…" she demanded, between gasps. Kili complied and held the arrow, tugging it…

"It's in deep." He groaned.

"Do it…" She growled, feeling her breath escaping her. He put his hand against her back and pulled hard. It loosened with a snapping sound and broke free. Tauriel let out another scream. Kili tossed the arrow aside and fell to his knees, next to her, his face a mask of worry, he encircled her body with his arms and pulled her to him.

Tauriel continued to gasp loudly, painfully, now spitting up blood…the pain did not recede as she had hoped.

"Tell me…what…it looks like…" She said, looking back at Kili. He shook his head, not understanding. "The wound…" He nodded and laid her face down and looked at her back…he could not see the wound. He felt at the edges of the tear in the fabric and pulled it apart. He tried not to gasp as he described it, his worry turning to desperation.

"The wound is under your shoulder blade…it looks deep, and it is turning black…" he said, his heart in his throat as he saw the deadly wound marring her silken white skin, rivulets of blood streaming from it…Tauriel gasped and growled.

"It is too deep… to heal on its own." She said, collapsing into the underbrush, turning over with the last of her strength. Kili caught and cradled her in his arms.

"No, Tauriel…" he said, his voice cracking, his face stark with sadness.

"You…have to be…my healer…" she said. He nodded quickly, his lips pursed.

"What do I do?" he said.

"Find some Athelas…Kingsfoil…" she said. Kili ran off into the night, the last of the rays of the moon streaming through the forest in an eerie blue light, squinting his eyes, desperately searching for the sacred, precious herb.

He kept an ear out for the labored coughs that were becoming more frequent. Thankfully, in a few moments, he found some of the plant, wrenched it from the earth and ran back to Tauriel. Her eyes were closing and the color draining from her lips. He scooped her up and held her against him. He thanked the stars when her eyes opened…

"Now…take the leaves, crush them…and press them on the wound…" she whispered, pressing her eyes shut. Kili did as she directed, letting her go for only a moment, then lifting her upper body gently over his legs, cradling her head in his elbow, holding her against him with one arm as his hand crushed the small leaves into a ball. He pressed the poultice against her back.

Tauriel stiffened up and let out an anguished, painful cry that shook Kili to the core. He gripped her tighter, wondering if what he was doing was making it worse, if he was killing her…

"Tauriel!" he cried out. She gasped, rapid, loud breaths…

"Its ok…it is supposed to hurt…" she said, in jagged whispers, groaning in pain. She did not even know if this would work. She clasped her hand around the arm holding the poultice. "Now…repeat…after…me" she said. Tauriel began to recite the most powerful healing incantation she knew, in raspy whispers, and Kili repeated it, in his low, voice, straining with emotion. "Keep…repeating it…"she said, her breath getting shallow and fast. Her eyes fluttered closed…

Kili tried to fight back the sobs in his throat, as he repeated the incantation dutifully, over and over, squeezing her tighter against him, his hand gripping the fabric on her back in a tight fist, starting to rock her body.

She finally let out a long, slow exhale and her body went limp, the hand gripping his arm falling away. Kili's eyes went wide with fear, and his mouth dropped open, horror gripping him. His heart broke in his chest.

"No…Tauriel…No…" he said, in a pained whisper. He released the herb pack and pulled the fabric over it gently. He could barely breathe in as he leaned her away and looked at her face… silken white against fire, eyes shut as if sleeping….

But elves don't sleep.

"No, no ,no…by Mahal, please….no…" he groaned. He stroked her hair, her face, gently with trembling hands and he pursed his lips, waves of sadness darkening his vision. He slid his fingertips over her smooth, soft skin and cupped her cheek with utmost gentleness, as if she would break, pressing his lips to her forehead and temple. She was so cold… He squeezed his eyes closed as hot tears welled up and he gasped, quiet, painful sobs, as if he could no longer draw breath himself, gripping her tightly against him. His whole body shook with grief. He pressed his face to hers and kissed her slightly opened lips…

He felt her draw in a breath…felt her pull in his warm gasp of an exhale...he froze, eyes wide, incredulous…

"Tauriel?" he said, a hopeful, low voice. She breathed again, her breath like the sweetest spring breeze against his cheek. "Come on back to me…please…" he begged. She continued to breathe deeply as he bent over her body, his head on her chest to hear her heart beating, sobs of release quaking his insides. Then he sat up and gently stoked her face… she now looked so peaceful.

Tauriel's eyes opened slowly and she looked up at him, her eyes soft, floating over his face with wonder. Kili was overjoyed…

"You did it." She whispered, in a breath, a small smile creeping onto lips deepening with color. He cradled her head and pressed it to his chest, holding her close, rocking the precious elf in his arms. Her arms held him weakly. "Thank you." she breathed.

Kili's heart swelled and his tongue was at a loss for words…


	18. Chapter 18

**Authors note: **

**These plots are coming fast and furious so I will keep going until I burn out. Thank you all for the faves and reviews: MVW, Talizinha, 1980sp8ceGi, Syblime, midnighttales, iloveicecreamdont dis me, Lexielewie, Guest 44…**

**Guest 44- Illicit romance between species. …well, yes. I think Tolkien thought of them as subspecies… Aragorn and Arwen… the match between man and elf was not as illicit; it was more accepted and even had rules (the offspring had to choose between mortality and immortality I think) even Elrond, the great Elf King was descended of a Halfling of that sort, I believe. Nowhere in the Tolkien Lexicons was there a match between dwarf and elf. Dwarf and man?….maybe. **

**Chapter warning: Moderate M between the {{{}}}. **

**AW**

* * *

><p>Bard stood tall in the burnt out frame of the edifice of the Masters house, his arms crossed before him, his fingers rubbing his beard as he stared into the distance, lips pursed, worry overtaking his mind as it had since the wake of the dragonfire. He moved his eyes to the newly erected tent city on the shore. How terribly inadequate it was. The nights had been thankfully milder since then, but it was becoming quite clear that the few damaged houses still left standing in the town and the fabric houses on the shores would not work for long to support the ravaged townsfolk.<p>

Winter was coming. And who knows what else. Very little good will come from the forests to the vulnerable people of Laketown; Except aid from the Woodland elves if he felt optimistic; but he would not hold his breath for that; the sincere, brave Prince Legolas would most likely have a hard time convincing his ancient, reclusive father to worry about, much less help others outside their realm. But he could only hope.

Wild animals had ravaged the shallow graves they had dug in haste, and those animals had their sights set on the live weak and weary. The area stank of burnt wood, waste and decay, and Bard was sure pestilence and disease would ravage them all if they did not do something drastic quickly. A few people could live off of the forest with subsistence, but not what was left of the whole town; they needed more infrastructure.

Even the Master had fallen prey to the forest; they found his remains torn to pieces where he tried to make his escape with as much of the town's treasure as he could carry on his person. Those coins and jewels did not let him run away from the hungry pack of wolves that eventually granted him his demise. Since then, Bard was the one everyone looked to, even those who didn't defer to him before.

Bard walked down into the square heavily and sighed, the light of the early morn increasing gradually. It was only during these quiet hours, when the fishermen went out on the lake to catch the food everyone needed for survival that he was allowed some time on his own. Everyone came to him for everything; advice, instruction, plans, resolution of disputes…it was all overwhelming at first, but he followed his heart, common sense, and the rules of fairness to become the defacto leader in these times of tribulation. He felt the weight of the fate of these people on his shoulders. He was not sure he was prepared for this.

The sounds of galloping horses shook him from his introspection and he strode out, climbing the nearest pile of debris erected as a watchtower. He shielded his eyes from the sun peeking out low on the horizon as he spotted the half a dozen riders rounding the far bank. He breathed a sigh of relief. His two oldest were in that group, Bain and Sigrid. He anxiously awaited that small band of explorers for the fruits of their overnight reconnaissance.

During a fit of disturbing dreams and relatively little sleep, Bard came up with a crazy idea. With the dragon gone form Erebor, there was no reason that man could not resettle Dale. Indeed, it was a thriving city, with well built houses and booming economy back in its day. When Smaug attacked, he did ravage the town, but once the people fled, he left it largely alone. But so had every other living soul, so the town lay to waste for more than a hundred years, forgotten in time. A group of scouts had been dispatched to go and investigate; map the town, check for fresh water and evaluate the condition of the buildings. Any stone buildings would have fared better against dragon's breath than any of the wooden structures of Laketown, he was certain. Bard sent his children largely because he trusted them; and they had good interactions with the dwarves recently just in case they crossed paths again.

The scouting party drew close and the group dismounted and walked up to him. Bard greeted his children warmly and they all ushered into the roofless hall behind him.

"So…what did you think?" Bard said finally, to Javer, one of the more honorable men of Dale; a carpenter.

"It is a city of ghosts; there are skeletons all about." He said, pursing his lips. "But yes, most of the structures are sound. And in good condition. I had never seen the like of such craftsmanship." He said. "It would take very little time and effort to repair the roofs and make many buildings liveable again. " Bard looked at his daughter.

"The place is frozen in time; all was just left as it lay…all that would succumb decay is gone; all that is left is glass and stone and bone and fineries." She said, her face saddened. " But the wells still have water." She said.

Bain put a large parchment on the table and unrolled it. It was a map of Dale.

"I found this in one of the buildings. The wells are here ,here, and here…" Bain pointed, then looked up. Ronin, a blacksmith, approached, leaning over as he pointed to various places on the map.

"There is a central market square here….surrounded by what were shops. There are large houses around that, a smithie's place here, and what looks like a stable here, and a butcher here; according to the metal tools and hooks that we found…" he said.

Bard walked around the group rubbing his beard, nodding slowly as each gave their estimation of the condition of Dale, pointing out structures on the map. The city had large central buildings, surrounded by smaller and smaller homes, and Dale had a low wall to mark its boundary, multiple bridges crossing over a river that wound itself past the town. Beyond that, the central city was surrounded by hamlets with fields that were once fruitful with grain, which were now nearly covered with the short trees and grasses of fields left unattended. A farmer who was with them said that the food crops were nearly completely pushed out, but there was still some grain and corn growing wild. All in all, Dale was a not far from functionality. And probably their only chance at survival.

"We even found the leaders house, or so we think. It has tapestries, rich plates and glasses and paintings within, nearly in ruin, many falling apart. We also found a painting of a man that looked something like you…" Bain said, pointing to a larger building near the center of town.

"Our ancestors…" Sigrid said. Bard shot her a look.

"It looks as if it would be best to move the survivors of Laketown to Dale. Our efforts at rebuilding will not be in vain there." He said, looking to everyone. "What say you all?" he said, looking about, and the explorers all looked at each other and nodded. Bard sighed deeply.

"It seems that exiles of Dale were destined to return to Dale." Javer said, slapping Bard on his back. "Let us gather the townsfolk to discuss the plan." He said. Bard nodded.

"What if there are those who do not wish to go?" Sigrid asked, lagging behind, despite her exhaustion, as the others left the burnt out house. Bard pursed his lips.

"Whoever chooses to stay in Laketown can do so at their own risk. The offer will remain for them to join us, but we take whatever we can hoist on our backs with us."

"It is not a happy event, this move. But it will be a better fate than to stay in this place full of nightmarish memories." Sigrid mused, a melancholy look on her face. She turned around, and walked up close to her father. "We did not see any evidence of dwarves while we were there, but I am sure they saw us." Bard pursed his lips.

"We will cross that rather treacherous bridge when we must. The king under the mountain owes the people of this town much."

"What if he does not agree?" Sigrid said, crossing her arms.

"There are others in his party who are more reasonable. There may still be a chance for diplomacy, my dear." He said, taking his fretting daughter in his arms. "Have I taken the chance to tell you how proud I am of you, Sigrid?" He said. Sigrid tilted her head and blinked in wonder. Bard took her face in his hands and sighed, wafting over the features that mirrored that of his deceased wife, the face young but drawn with worry.

"Proud of me? Why?" she asked. "I only do what is necessary. Nothing less should be expected of us all." Bard stroked her hair and smiled sadly, shaking his head.

"Your childhood was stolen by your mother's death, my daughter. And again you rise to the occasion and function as woman twice your age and stature."

"We must follow your lead, father." Sigrid said, addressing her father. She turned to leave, but then paused. "But what if the elves return?" She queried, eyes wide. "Do you think they will come to help, like Legolas said they would?"

"Prince Legolas is honorable and trustworthy. I believe he will keep his promise." Bard said, nodding, sounding more hopeful than he felt. Sigrid nodded, a slightly pleased smile finally erupting on her face, making her look more like the adolescent she should have been.

"I had not known elves much before; he is quite brave…and kind." she said, with a wistful glance into the woods. Bard sighed internally. First dwarves, now elves…

"They are a great and olden people, and good allies to have." He said. "If they have not arrived by the time we leave for Dale, you and Bain will go with the others; I will stay behind until all those that will to leave do. Then I will join you all, elves or no elves."

* * *

><p>After Kili cradled Tauriel on the forest floor for some time, she eventually had the strength to rise, and they began making their way back to the lodge. This time it was Kili holding up the wounded; Tauriel walking in a bit of a haze all the way back. She stole a look at the face of the dwarf by her side; he was looking forward with intention, his expression was stark and serious, his eyes wide, as if still in shock. He seemed deep in thought. He was way too quiet.<p>

_Please don't do that to me ever again…_

Tauriel looked back down at Kili and was about to ask him what he meant when she realized…she did not hear him with her ears.

_I don't think my heart can take it if you die on me… you are an elf. You can live till the end of days. I will not._

It was very strange to hear what she believed were his words, in his voice, resounding through her head. Tauriel held her breath, his sad thought gripping her.

_Damn. There is one thing I know now, without a doubt, but I can never tell her. I love her. _

Tauriel stopped short. She shook her head, not believing what she was hearing…thinking…whatever it was that was happening…

"What is it?" Kili said, pausing, the look of concern raising his brows. Tauriel looked down at him, wide eyes blinking. There…that she did hear with her ears, she was sure.

"Um…just…my arm; it is hurting a bit." She said, pulling her arm against her. Though an excuse, what she said was true. She was yet unable to move that arm much without pain.

Kili looked at her arm and raised a finger. He bent over and took off the belt he was wearing on his leg, bound rather tightly, Tauriel thought, and fastened it into a long circle. He draped it over her neck and tucked her wrist into the loop so she could hang her arm freely. Tauriel winced a bit upon moving it.

"There. Is that better?" he said, Tauriel looked at him with wonder, and nodded slowly.

"What about your leg?" she asked. Kili waved her concern away.

"It will be fine. Do you need to rest a moment?" He asked, his voice gentle and low. Tauriel shook her head, still feeling a bit dazed. Kili looked at her with a little question in his eyes.

"I think I will to rest when we get in the lodge, for the wound will heal completely."

"Then that is what I will make sure you do." Kili said, looking up at her seriously. They trudged on for a while in silence. Before she heard, or thought…his thoughts…again, Tauriel broke the silence.

"There will be more orks coming through the woods." She said, voice low. "That was a relatively small group. A scouting party perhaps." Kili pursed his lips and nodded.

"Probably. Where do you think they were going?" he asked. Tauriel grunted.

"I don't know. To Laketown, perhaps? Erebor?" she answered. Kili looked up.

"Whoever is left in Laketown will be unable to defend against a horde like that." He said, his brows knit. "Especially if taken by surprise."

"True. They must be warned…" she said, the realization of what that meant hitting her. They would have to leave shortly. She looked at Kili, who looked back at her, his expression revealing the same thought.

"Yes they must." He said, sadly, looking away, the both of them plodding along a little heavier.

"We must go back to Laketown then; as soon as we are able." Tauriel said, pursing her lips. Kili looked back at her, a flicker of sadness in his eyes.

"Agreed." He said. "And I must eventually go on to Erebor." Again the quiet remained.

Getting back up into the loft took some ingenuity; they lashed themselves together and used his arms and her legs to scale the large tree. Kili was stronger than Tauriel thought he would be. Once at the top he ushered her into the Lodge, sitting her gently on a couch, putting her legs up on a nearby stool, looking at her with a slight bit of warning. It became quite obvious he would let her do little else. She glanced back up at her companion with a smirk.

Kili immediately went to work and tended to the fire first. He broke up and put some new kindling and a fresh log into the stove, gently stirring up some faintly glowing embers, blowing life into the fire tenderly. Tauriel looked on, leaning back, becoming engrossed in the smooth, gentle movements of her little firestarter. Dwarves could light fires from water, it was rumored. Only after the fire was crackling away happily, and Kili had fed her some water did Tauriel look down at her clothes. They were dirt filled and blood streaked, and loosened at the shoulder because of the tear at the back.

"I should change." She said, softly. Kili glanced back at her, crouching low before the gentle red glow of the growing fire, the flickering light bouncing off his intense eyes and angular features. He stood up.

"I will warm some water to clean your wound." Kili said, as he set a pot of water on the stove. She looked after him as he dutifully plodded away, and found some clean rags in one of the cupboards.

She leaned forward to get up and in a second, Kili was there, holding her arms to help her get up. This brought them close, face to face. Tauriel felt the intensity of his eyes as he looked away and one of her soft hands found its way up to his cheek of its own accord, and she caressed it, sliding her hand down around his neck, scraping his skin ever so slightly.

She felt him shudder. He gasped and his eyes looked back up into hers, like worship, but here was hurt in those eyes. He turned her around and helped her up to the loft, carrying with them a small oil lamp. Then he scurried away, wordlessly. Tauriel looked back at the space he had vacated, shaking her head, brows knit in worry.

She retrieved a light, airy tunic she had worn several days before from the chest and she kneeled on the soft mattress on floor, and then settled down on her heels. By that point, Kili had returned with a shallow bowl of water and some clean rags. He was acting so strange…

"What is it, Kili?" She asked, a little concerned. Kili looked at her, a serious expression on his jovial face. He looked away. He grunted.

"Nothing, nothing." he dodged, attending to the small bowl he carried with him, glancing back at her shyly. Tauriel tilted her head and raised an eyebrow.

"You are very quiet." She pushed gently. Kili sat down and released a heavy sigh.

"I thought I had lost you." He admitted finally, after a few quiet moments. Tauriel was touched; she shifted over closer to him and waited for his intense eyes to rise to hers.

"Well you did not. Is that not the important thing?" she started. And then she laughed a little… "I'm sorry for the scare I gave you…but at least now we are even."

"Don't be sorry." Kili said, with a small smile. "And I was not keeping score."

Tauriel turned away, and after a moment of hesitation, she unfastened the front of her dirty green, long tunic and eased her torn, bloodied clothes off of her. The pain in her back had faded away to a mere ache, but she still felt the caked remnants of the attack clinging to her skin, and she wanted it gone.

Kili helped her undress from behind, with as much care and respect as she had shown him, and draped a thin blanket over her uninjured shoulder, wrapping the rest around the front of her to maintain her discretion. She heard and felt Kili settle down alongside and behind her, and so he could attend to her, she pulled her long tresses forward to uncover her now bare back. She looked back and saw Kili wet and squeeze a rag, holding it in his hand, steaming, waiting for it to cool. He looked into her eyes with a shy little smile; she kept her eyes on his as long as she could before he ever so gently washed the dirt and blood from her back. She looked forward, wincing a bit. The warm cloth stung as much as it felt good. In a few moments, she heard him gasp.

"I don't believe it." He whispered. She felt him touch that place that was once in immense pain; all that was left was an intense tingling sensation.

"What is it?" she said, looking back into Kili's surprised eyes. He dried off her back with a fresh cloth in long, soft strokes.

"The wound…" he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "It's almost gone…"Tauriel smirked, and then she looked away.

Tauriel knew exactly why it was so. She had been relieved that the elven power of healing could be transferred to Kili, but she also knew it worked better when there was a strong emotional connection between healer and healed. She had barely known him when she healed Kili before, which was why his wound was only partially healed at first. And she was well familiar with how he felt about her now, which is probably why this time, it worked so well.

"The healing incantation works best when spoken by a pure heart…" she said, returning her eyes to his. Kili's eyes softened and he blinked slowly with a look of subtle wonder.

She caught his eyes wandering over her, sending a strange, not unpleasant ache through her. Kili reached out to her tentatively and stroked her silky skin, from her bare shoulder down her spine to her lower back. Tauriel felt a rush of desire as his fingertips left a trail of warmth. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she gasped and moaned under his touch, her body arching instinctively. Tauriel felt him move closer and turned around to find his face mere inches from hers. His eyes were smoldering, awakening little flutters in her belly. She gasped through barely parted lips.

Kili kissed her bare shoulder, his eyes closing, and he rubbed his downy cheek against her. Tauriel took a deep breath, his aroma filling the air. His warm hand settled on her lower back, and he stroked it gently, sending waves of pleasure through her. He moved his hand slowly from the small of her back and stroked her hair. Her eyes fluttered closed. Tauriel was frozen in place, barely breathing, wrestling somewhere between desire and the unknown, not wanting to move, at once fearful he wouldn't stop…and fearful that he would.

"I'm not sure how… pure… my thoughts are right now…" he said, his low voice reverberating through her. She opened her eyes as his eyes rose to meet hers with that same look of softness, worship and wonder that she had seen in the dark forest of Mirkwood, the look given to her in the dungeons of the woodland palace by a young, tall, dwarf, the same intense stop-my-heart-from-beating stare that had gripped her from the moment they first met.

"Love is always pure…" Tauriel whispered.

A pang hit Kili in the chest when she uttered those words and all at once, he yearned to feel every inch of that soft, luscious, silky skin, explore the parts of her body that had remained hidden to him, all that he had dreamt of, but he held his desires securely at bay since they first entered the loft. But now, Tauriel no longer acted with trepidation or reservation.

It was as if something had clicked into place in Tauriel's mind. Kili's kiss, his touch, his face against her body, his lips on her had stirred up such longing that she never knew even existed…the longing to have someone close, the longing to feel skin against skin, someone's body enveloping hers. Her 600 year old body ached for the release that only this kind of intimate closeness could ignite…and satisfy.

Life, having been in such danger so recently, she realized, was meant to be lived to its fullest. Everything was so uncertain, the road she was on now so unusual that she was afraid to wait even a second more, unless she would never feel this way again, have this chance, ever again…In a swift motion, she turned to him and pressed her mouth to his, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

In a flurry of kisses, they peeled away each other's clothing, in a hurried rush, as if they could not get close enough fast enough. Or was it that they wanted to start before good sense held them back? Once they were free of those bonds, they explored each other's bodies, and the connection that had only been a tug became a magnet.

{{{{{{{

Tauriel moaned as Kili's slightly rough hands moved over her shoulders, back, buttocks and legs, as she slid her long leg against his, provoking a deep, sultry groan from his throat. She ran her hands over his sculpted chest and arms, her fingers going through the soft downy hair, that new experience thrilling her. Everywhere she touched him provoked low groans of pleasure, gasps as if it were his last. She stretched her neck up as his fingers caressed her shoulders, ran slowly down her shoulder and cupped her breast softly. She gasped as his thumb slid over her sensitive nipple again and again, and she moaned when his mouth followed, his moist, soft tongue against her making her shudder. Desire took over, where there once was uncertainty, there was commission, and hands and arms, and mouths and legs moved to places that made their bodies respond with searing heat and moisture. She wondered briefly, how he knew just where to touch her to make it feel so good…

Kili held her close as he pulled her over his legs, is mouth exploring the delicious skin stretched before him as he supported her back, the drunken sensation of joy making his head light as their bodies moved in a tight, unpracticed, instinctive dance. Her hands explored his body each sensation on his skin making him groan and gasp with pleasure. In return he looked into her face as his hands moved down her back, over her hips, between her legs… Her soft skin, he swore was glowing, fire hot to the touch, and a deep ache filled his pelvis as her smooth skin slid past the parts of him that were throbbing. He grasped a handful of the silken fire that washed past his face. He was not sure he could survive this without his heart exploding out of his chest.

All the kissing and rubbing and touching and glorious gasps worked to build a tension Tauriel thought could rip her apart. It concentrated into an insatiable ache within her that begged to be filled; her body slid down over him until they were joined…The slight burning ache and wave of pleasure spreading over her body rose in a crescendo in her head as that part of him entered her body, sending a tremor through her.

The rush and fury of emotions and sensations bid her to move against Kili, against his hard, quivering body, to make every sensation feel even better and she was rewarded…they became a moving mass of hard flesh and bone, grasping hands, flushed, scraped skin and rapid breaths, straining to gasp for air, but not wanting to stop the voracious kisses for even a second. Kili kept his eyes open, thinking how beautiful ivory and tan looked, entwined together, in the low glow of the lamplight as he held her against him and pushed…

They erupted in guttural yells that bespoke of end of the pain of years being alone; the ecstasy of joining with another soul and the pleasure that spread across their bodies in a shocking wave…

It was followed by a wave of warmth, of comfort and gentleness as the tension melted from their bodies and their muscles relaxed. They kissed again, softer, for their lips were bruised by all that had preceded these, urgent and hard. Soft touches pushed tossled red and black hair from rosy skin.

}}}}}}

In that little loft, in a treetop lodge in the forest, was a secret place where no one would know that an elf and a dwarf became lovers, which was what came of the chemistry that drew them together when they were miles part. They clung to each other, breathless and speechless, hardly believing what had just happened… As the minutes wore on, the full weight of what had just transpired hit them as they laid side by side, staring into each other's wide eyes, incredulous.

Tauriel looked in to his eyes and stroked his face gently. Sadness floated over her features.

"There is no tomorrow for us." She said, looking at him seriously.

Kili gripped her hand tightly as an ache hit his chest. He also knew this to be true. He breathed a deep, painful sigh and nodded, looking down, their two warrior hands entwined, dwarf and elf. A wave of defiance hit him. He was never so sure, in all of his life.

"I know." He said. "But…there is tonight." He said, looking back up at her.


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note**

**Hello everyone…thank all of you who have favorite and followed; I hope you still continue to read despite some of you having… misgivings. I hope I did not lose many of you with that last chapter. I thought it rather low octane, actually, but I still partitioned it with the brackets.**

**Special thanks to those who took the time to comment or PM me. Syblime, Icecreamrocks, Talizinha (sorry!), Lexielewie, Midnighttales.**

**9-3-2014 Rewrote it for better flow...thanks Anon...**

* * *

><p>Kili awoke in the hazy mist of afterglow, in the warm light of an early dawn, his mind drifting somewhere between sleep and wake, much like it had drifted for most of the night. He did not move nary a muscle for many minutes at a time, in order to keep himself within this waking dream, wrapped in the silken arms of this angel laid out before him. As his vision cleared, there she was, between light blankets against his darker skin; a view he wished to carve into his mind like a marble statue, leave traced into the backs of his eyelids so he could see it always. They spent last night together, entangled, and found a release for the tension that had developed between them; a delicious and sweet release, for Tauriel no longer made the excuse that their close proximity was just to keep the dwarf with a fiery soul warm in the chill of the night. He thought back fondly on the activities of the night, both beautiful but forbidden, laden with passion and the joy and fervor of giving in freely to pleasure. Yet sadness haunted him, at times he felt his heart breaking within him, and he lay silent, aching, knowing this bliss, this heaven would, alas, be short lived. He resigned to commit it all to memory, realizing there was no point at all in thinking of the future with a present such as this before him, except for the fact that the future was unforgiving and unrelenting in pushing the present away into the past and there was nothing could be done to change that.<p>

Later that morning, once he was fully awake, they lay next close as possible to each other underneath the blankets; Kili with his head propped up on one hand, Tauriel's lengthy body turned towards and wrapped around his, her arm around his waist. Tauriel's head was against the mattress facing towards him, her eyes closed, her expression one of quiet satisfaction, her body relaxed, her breath slow and easy. Yet Kili knew she was awake. He studied every little part of the beautiful, strong elf before him. Kili smiled to himself and gently traced the languid curves of her neck, her cheek, her pale shoulder with his fingers. He saw her smile increase almost imperceptibly as his hands wandered, stroking lightly but not too light as to provoke a tickle.

Kili mused how, in their few days together, he had learned so much about the elf warrior, the memories of these days immediately becoming those that were amongst his most treasured thoughts. he learned that, indeed, she was a better archer than he, and probably a better warrior. That her knowledge of the medicinal herbs and edible plants of the forest was exquisite. That she loved his cooking, and did not cook herself. That she was a caring, doting healer, and a kind soul. That she wished to travel and experience new peoples and adventures throughout Middle Earth. And that she loved being touched like this…

Kili realized he was falling hopelessly, madly in love with Tauriel, but he promised himself he would not speak of it with her or anyone else. He did not know why he promised that; maybe he hoped if he did not speak of it, it would cease to be true in some future time he could not yet fathom. One day, he hoped, his heart would turn to stone in is chest so he could no longer feel too much, to numb the ache he knew would soon take up residence there. Or maybe it was just the simple common sense acceptance of a sad, and too real truth; a dwarf and elf couple could just not exist beyond these sacred walls...it just would never be tolerated in either society.

As they breathed the same air that morning, within Kili something twisted with an ache each time he recalled their moments together last night. So many times during the night, he wanted to cry out with joy. He kept his eyes open often in disbelief that this beautiful creature would allow him the gift he was given; to partake of her body. How he wanted to split his own hide, and take her into himself, to crawl beneath her skin and curl up around her heart and stay there, forever. He breathed heavily, tossing away common sense, and rooting himself in the present, he reached up and pushed a wayward sprig of that fiery hair away from her face, curling it around the sharp point of her elven ear. He paused for a moment. They were so different, yet so alike.

They were of a different people, that was true. That was something he could not deny; the differences were apparent. His skin was darker and over many parts of his compact, brawny, muscular body was a soft, dark down. She did not seem to mind his roughened body against her, though. Her skin was pale like the moon, smooth and soft all over with no hair save the auburn, silky strands that graced her head. Even with his height, quite tall for a dwarf, he was still much shorter than she. Yet, when they were together like this, the differences between them seemed to mean little. Once they released their sizeable inhibitions, their unexpected enjoyment of each other was complete and passionate. How could that be?

Tauriel broke into his thoughts as she moaned softly, a questioning tone, her body writhing a little against him. Kili returned to stroking her body softly. She smiled. Kili laughed gently.

"You so enjoy being touched." He remarked softly, as he traced her neck.

"Mmm." She responded.

Kili answered her with a kiss on her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at his face with a thoughtful expression. Kili's warm, dark eyes met hers.

"In Mirkwood, the wood-elves do not usually…touch much. Unless it is for intimate purposes. " She said, with the sly realization of the position they had found themselves in... "It is a rather solitary existence." Kili hrumphed.

"Interesting. Dwarves are always touching in some way. We are always hitting each other, slapping everyone on the back, and standing close, and we liveto wrestle." He said. "It is part of our nature, to be very physical. It helps us get synchronized with each other, I think. Dwarves are known for their ability to work many as one, to do great things, despite our stature."

He knit his brows, scolding himself internally about reminding them both of their differences; but her next words wiped that thought from his mind.

"I enjoy your touch." Tauriel said, as she smiled. He looked at her gently, his eyes stroking her face.

"_Tecala kzud maior, Tauriel." _Kili cooed gently. She looked up him, her eyes wondering.

"Is that Khuzdul?" she asked. He nodded, stroking her cheek. "What did you say?" she asked, Khuzdul not being one of the languages she knew. The only other time she had ever heard it was when Kili recited the engravings on his runestone.

"It is an ancient and secret tongue." he explained.

"Is it now?" she asked, a bit bemused.

"Seldom spoken above ground." Kili continued to evade.

He did not know why he spoke the sacred dwarf language to her. Khuzdul was only usually spoken in the presence of other dwarves, for official purposes, or in festivals or rituals.

"Yet you have spoken it to me, above ground." She smiled a little.

"Aye. Very few other than dwarves know it."

"I know Thranduil does." She said.

"He was probably alive when it was first uttered by the 7 fathers in the Deep itself." Kili said. She smirked.

"He is not that old."

"Is he not?" Kili mused. Tauriel looked into his eyes expectantly.

"I don't think so…And you are not answering my question, _m__elethron anfang._" Tauriel said.(lover dwarf)

Two could obviously play at that game. It provoked a thoughtful glance from Kili. Kili squeezed her, putting his lips close to her ear.

"It means 'beloved elf.'" He whispered, baring his soul. Those Khuzdul words were not meant to ever, ever be uttered together, he was certain.

Kili shared with Tauriel not only his body, but his heart and soul. Such was his nature; to act first and think later, to feel deeply and speak of his mind without holding back, without regret. Kili was one who fell hard and fast when it came to matters of the heart. He knew, deep in his soul, he would never feel for another living being the way he now felt for this elf before him.

He looked down, his brows coming together a bit. Through his mind flitted the vague memories of custom, expectation, and rules of the dwarrow society; those godforsaken rules he thought he would never have the need to know. Kili did feel what occurred between them, between he and this elf, was special, significant, meaningful and pure…even if probably forbidden and unprecedented. He would be probably be scoffed at and shunned if other dwarves caught wind. But he rarely cared what other dwarves thought anyway...other than his family. And he knew what their first inclination would be to think about this...

"Tauriel…" She looked into his eyes. "If you were a dwarf, now, we would be considered betrothed, after last night." he said, as he stroked her fingers. "But since you are not dwarrow, you cannot be held to that." She nodded, taking up the serious tone herself.

"We have similar customs…about these things." She said. "If you were an elf, we would be considered promised to each other…_Elhal el malionethra. _ But the same goes for you. You are not of the Elda and not bound by those rules._"_ He touched her soft lips.

Kili had just about enough of this discussion; whatever societal rules there were in place just did not apply to their situation. They had begun to manufacture their own rules, he realized… The corner of his mouth raised.

"Sindarian is such a beautiful sounding language." Kili said, not really caring that the foreign words sounded beautiful because of from whence they came…he just knew they did. "Khuzdul is coarse and guttural; but it still sounds like home to me." He said, trailing off as he looked away from her, his brows furrowing.

"What is it, Kili?" she said, stroking his chin. He kissed her hand.

"I worry about my brother, and the others…" he said, a little saddened. Tauriel sighed and nodded, and turned to lay flat next to him.

Tauriel stared up at the ceiling. She did wonder about Legolas as well. But, oh, so much had happened…

"We could leave soon…" she started to say.

"That is not all I am worried about, Tauriel." He interrupted, in a low voice. She looked over at his face. A darkness fell over his bright features. Tauriel looked on, with more concern now. He wrapped his arm around her.

"What will come of us, Tauriel, you and I…when we leave this place?" He asked. "This... they will not understand. Or approve of." Tauriel sighed, turned into Kili and held him close.

"I don't know. But I cannot deny what has happened." She said, tracing his strong jaw. "I have no regrets."

Yet the darkness also shadowed her. She knew he was right. Neither elf nor dwarf would understand.

"I cannot deny it either. And I do not wish it happened any other way…" He agreed. "But…we probably should not speak of this with anyone. Ever." Tauriel pursed her lips and nodded in solidarity.

* * *

><p>Tauriel had her own thoughts of the evening. She had spent the night awake between the many times they became entwined together that night, Kili falling asleep for a short while afterwards, each time they made love. When he fell asleep, she stroked his warm colored skin, which was sometimes slick with sweat, sometimes hot and flushed, sometimes cool and dry. She ran her hands through his dark locks and studied each feature and line of his face, the contours of his body. She also felt that little quiver within her each time his eyes fluttered open and unbelievably, he looked at her again with hunger.<p>

They definitely made the most of this one night. The first time of the night was rushed and rabid, urgent and intense, shocking them both. After, they moved slower, gentler, and everything took longer… they explored each other's bodies, and spoke softly in hushed tones. The rush of desire came again and again, making her insides ache, yet want more. She still could not believe the depth and breadth of what her body could feel, what he made her feel. But like most things, it came to an end. In the morning, they shared a bath, and lay together, their fingers entwining beneath the water's edge.

Even though her body was thrilled with the night's festivities, and hers was the choice made, initially her heart stood still, incredulous at what was happening, afraid to believe, afraid to be broken. At one point he released all her inhibitions, and for a moment, she found her heart opening up, almost nearly bleeding with how sweet and tender he was with her. She knew her trust was not ill placed; this dwarf would not hurt her. His feelings were readily apparent in his gaze, his touch, his whispers. Yet, confusion and sadness permeated her several times, as she wrapped her arms around her slumbering lover. But thankfully, he always managed to lure her back to joy.

Once they managed to extract themselves from the loft, Kili and Tauriel prepared for their journey in near silence, collecting their articles alone, each embroiled deeply in their own thoughts. They frequently exchanged warm glances and shy smiles, but were decidedly a bit awkward with how they should act after the night they had spent together. They left the little lodge with as much water and rations as they could carry easily; as well as their newly acquired weapons. They walked in a straight line, directly towards Laketown through the thick forest; it was slow going for some time. No matter, because both of them were dragging, as if not really wanting to leave the beauty of the forest, their silent and secret refuge.

Tauriel felt a definite comfort having the young dwarf ambling beside her, but she felt ill at ease otherwise. What indeed would happen with them now? When they got to Laketown, what would they find? And how would the survivors act towards them? And where should she go afterwards, to look for Legolas? Would she be accepted in Mirkwood again? And when would Kili leave to go to Erebor? How would she feel about that? And would she ever see him again? All these things weighed heavily on her mind. They arrived at the edge of an open field, and Tauriel crouched down rapidly. Kili followed suit.

"I saw something over the rise…" She whispered.

"Was it orks?" Kili questioned.

"I don't think so…" she fleeting vision she had was not of black bodies and hairy beasts. She stood up slowly and gasped at the now readily apparent and unmistakable view before her. "Elves…" she whispered.

Tauriel walked out of the shadows into the field, into the open slowly. Her eyes were glued on the large entourage coming into view, slowly above the rise of the rolling hills. She gasped and advanced once she realized the figures were …her people. She abandoned the quiet and camouflage of the woods to where she could be seen, Kili following behind, but not yet out into the open. She stopped in shock. She could not believe what she was seeing. Surrounded by several guards, the tall, imposing figure of Thranduil on a great elk came over the rise. She was so distracted with the vision of her King outside of Mirkwood she barely noticed…She inhaled sharply as the horse and rider rapidly approached and recognition thrilled her.

"Tauriel!" Legolas shouted, as he jumped smoothly from his horse, now only a few yards away. He started running towards her, his silver blonde hair wafting behind him, his sparkling blue eyes wide and glued on her. The whole vision of him made her gasp and filled her with glee.

"Legolas…" she was barely able to say…She was drawn towards him, happy and relieved he was apparently alive and well. When they met, he took her up in his arms, and spun her around, his embrace threatening to steal all her breath. She had to wince to ignore the pain shooting from her recent wound.

But…this was so unlike him…her reserved, distant Prince...

The shock of her dear prince's overt display of affection made her ache within. It was obvious Legolas cared little about what this scene would mean to those surrounding the king, or to the king himself. She buried her head in the blonde silk that surrounded her, and melted in the coolness of the thin elven armor on his shoulders. The smell of fresh pine and warm earth surrounded her, his scent, one she knew so well, one that at once was comfort and history and amity and home…She felt his hard, slender elven muscles beneath his clothes, pressed against her. She smiled widely, breathing fast, all of the anxiety she had buried deep within her bursting out, threatening to make her gasp.

"_I was so worried…_" she struggled out, her native elven tongue the only thing she could remember at that moment, as she squeezed her eyes shut.

"_As was I…"_ His deep, familiar voice permeated her.

Legolas suddenly became tense, his muscles turning into iron, his body turned into a statue. He put her down slowly. Tauriel backed away, held his shoulders, and looked on as his smile faded, and his eyes focused behind her. Tauriel looked behind her and saw that Kili had stopped several yards behind them, wide eyed, his face with a serious expression. He was tense, and was staring hard at Legolas. Her face filed with heat. She looked back at Legolas, his expression fading into confusion, then changing into anger, the brilliant blue turning into searing flame. Legolas was looking at Kili with something akin to hate… He shifted his eyes back to her, and the confusion was all that remained.

"_What is this?"_ He asked, in a low tone.

"Legolas…" she started.

"_What is he doing here_?" Legolas practically growled. "_With you_?" he said, disbelievingly.

"_Let me explain_." Tauriel steeled her jaw, stood up straight and put on a fierce expression of warning, surprised how rapidly she could change into her captain's gaze around him.

"I am her prisoner." She heard Kili say. Kili did not need to know Sindarian to know what Legolas was asking.

Tauriel whipped her head around and looked at him incredulously. Kili looked at Legolas with a darkness she did not know he could wield from those handsome, young features. Tauriel glared at Kili, shook her head and looked intently at Legolas.

"No!" She said "Kili is not my prisoner." Tauriel said insistently, between gritted teeth. Too much had happened. She had gotten too comfortable with what they had become to each other to pretend otherwise.

"I think your King…and your Prince… will accept me as a prisoner more readily." Kili said, arms crossed, the bitterness resting on the reference to Legolas clear to all. They had become fast enemies… Tauriel turned back to Legolas, holding his shoulder as he nearly lunged at Kili.

"_I have saved his life as he has saved mine_." Tauriel whispered to Legolas urgently and quietly. Legolas froze, and looked back at her with surprise, as he shook his head slowly. "_I stayed behind in Laketown to save him from dying. And then we nearly got trapped and killed by Smaug's attack. We barely escaped the devastation and managed to get ashore only with each other's help. We have been hiding in the forest since and then…and we were attacked by orks yesterday, when I nearly died. He saved me_." She related quickly, into the sky blue eyes that were growing wider and wider with disbelief.

Legolas slowly slipped away from her grasp and took several steps away from them both. Kili looked at Tauriel, brows knit with a questioning glance. Tauriel held up her hand, a gesture that she meant for Kili to stay silent. Legolas looked back, between the two of them, very confused and disturbed. After turning around slowly, he shifted his intense eyes to Kili, his lips pursed. Kili relaxed his shoulders and let his hands slip to their sides, but his hands were in fists. Legolas looked at Tauriel.

"As much as I hate to agree with the little imp, he is right." Legolas finally said, provoking a dagger glare and a growl from Kili. Legolas looked back at his father, who was looking at them across the distance with a cross, yet questioning expression. They had to do some explaining. Quickly.

"Is he still angry with me?" Tauriel said, suddenly seeming unmoved.

"We both thought you were dead, Tauriel." He said, his eyes softening just a fraction, showing just a bit of the pain he had experienced in the past few days. Tauriel swallowed hard, seeing it all too plainly. "I think relief is foremost on his mind. But…he still may be mad, I suppose. But he is also in a very generous mood as of late." He looked back at the entourage. "We are bringing supplies to the survivors of Laketown. And he wishes to speak to Bard, the Bowman who brought down the dragon." He said. Legolas grunted in frustration. "Let me speak with him." Legolas strode back to his horse, anger rolling off his tense shoulders, mounting his horse in one swift move.

Tauriel took several strides towards Kili and stood close, directly in front of him, practically shielding him from the elven eyes looking their way.

"What do you think you are doing, Kili? My prisoner?" She shook her head.

"I can do it." He said, his dark eyes glued on her. The sun was on his face, making his skin more golden... "For you…"

"No, I have to tell him the truth." Tauriel insisted, lowering her eyes

"That the leader of his guard ran away to save a dwarf and is now romantically involved with him?" Kili guffawed. "I think his royal head may just explode." Tauriel stared hard at him.

"I would choose to leave out certain details." She said.

"I just want to help you." he said, urgently.

"Not like this, Kili." She said.

"Look, say you were just trying to capture me again, for him. It would put you in his good favor. Is that not what you want?" Kili insisted. Tauriel looked at the handsome, young dwarf, exasperated.

"I…don't know anymore. But I do know I don't want you to be a prisoner." She said. Kili took off his bow and quiver, as well as the knife gifted him, and handed them to Tauriel.

"I already am, in a way." He said, looking at her warmly, and then his attention was drawn behind her, his gaze becoming stern again. Tauriel, gasped in frustration, turning around. Legolas was fast approaching, with another horse in tow.

"Father said he would like to question your 'prisoner', Tauriel. And he wishes to speak with you privately once we get to Laketown…or what remains of it." Legolas said. Tauriel looked at the other horse and turned to Kili. She put her hand on his shoulder and walked with Kili to the horse. She paused and turned.

"I still don't like this. But I see no other choice. Go on." She said softly, so only Kili could hear, kneeling so that Kili could use her knee to step up to the high stirrups. Kili held back.

"The horse is for you, Tauriel." Legolas said loudly from behind her, irritated.

"Kili is still healing from his injury. He cannot walk as fast as either you or I can. He will slow us down." She said, loudly, so all could hear. Kili groaned and accepted her help up on the horse. She intended to mount the horse behind him. Kili stopped her. She looked at him, a bit irked.

"Go and ride with him, Tauriel." Kili said softly, as he leaned forward, as if in pain. "Answer his questions. I am sure he has many…" He whispered clearly to her. Tauriel breathed heavily. Those probable, probing questions were the things that filled her with dread now. She went to hand Kili the reins…Legolas' hand grabbed them, shocking her. She stared into his now steely, hardened eyes.

"_You are losing your touch, Tauriel. You did not hear me approaching_. " He glared at Kili. "And you do not give a prisoner the reigns to his horse." Tauriel's dark eyes burned into his.

"He is not. My. Prisoner." She said pointedly. "He will not try to flee." Frustrated, Legolas flung the reins of the horse to Kili.

"If you run away, dwarf, I will put an arrow through you." Legolas growled at Kili.

"I'll not give you that satisfaction." Kili spat back.

Tauriel huffed, storming off to the other mount, climbing on to the aft position. She got on the horse, a bundle of tight, tumbling emotions. She did not even look back as she felt Legolas mount the horse behind her.

As they rode closer to the entourage, she saw the guard part and allow them in to ride alongside the King, with Kili on the outside, his horse now surrounded by other guards. Several scouts rode back to the entourage from the front, urgently speaking with Oreyon, who was in the lead. He nodded serenely as another layer of guards surrounded them. They had found the dead orks in the forest, and were doubling the protection around Thranduil.

Tauriel stole a glance to Kili, now on the out skirts of the traveling group. He was sitting tall and proud in the saddle, looking forward intently, yet stealing glances all about him, surveying what he had gotten himself into. Their eyes met and she felt it in her chest. He pursed his lips and nodded once. She had become unused to such distance…

Tauriel looked away and sighed.

"_Why do you stare at the dwarf, Tauriel_?" Legolas murmured behind her, nonchalantly. His insinuation stung. Even though he was unknowingly correct.

"_I wanted to make sure my friend was well_." She answered. That provoked a guffaw from Legolas.

"_Friend?_" he asked, incredulous.

"_Yes_, _Kili is my friend."_ Tauriel confirmed.

_ "__I could never befriend one of those smelly creatures_." He said. "_But_ _I cannot tell you what friends you may have._"

_Or who shares my bed. _Tauriel thought. _Oh, what little you know of what I can never tell you, my prince_…Tauriel shook her head, suddenly feeling mortified.

Legolas was so close behind her, she could feel the heat of the sun shining off the armor on her, feel surrounded by his wide shoulders, his breath. She turned her head to glance back at him once. He had his dark brows knit and his eyes hard; then they softened as he breathed. His eyes traced her features. She could practically feel the blood rising to her skin. She turned away, looking forward, not really seeing anything...

"_I missed you." _ He said, his words sounding strained, his voice low, as his arm snaked around her abdomen discretely, and he pulled her close. Tauriel gasped, the confusion and disbelief that was bubbling up within her boiling over, hitting her full force. Her hand tightened around the bow and knife before her.

Tauriel did not know what or how to feel at that moment; the spinning thoughts in her head turning into a booming ache. She would have welcomed these touches from Legolas with definite joy but some trepidation before, because of Thranduil's words, but now, she was just in shock…

So very much had happened…she was no longer the same Tauriel he knew.

She put her shaking hand on his silken, smooth, cool elven skin, his familiar long fingers under hers now feeling foreign…so different from the fingers that had touched her tenderly in days just passed. She gasped, knowing her face had erupted momentarily into a expression of shock. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Thanduil gazing their way.

She avoided the stony grey, intense eyes of her King, but she felt it; his powerful stare burning through her. Tauriel looked straight ahead, and stared blankly, barely able to keep her emotions from tearing her apart, keeping her expression still as a hard, controlled statue.


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note**

**So many thanks to those who commented and reviewed: Lexielewie, Syblime, Talizinha, Jinxwriter, Moonpetals, Bigfic fan, Anon, Jack, Noir Ecrivain, Jampaqd, Ahjegqdfvxgu, Guests. Your kind words keep me going. **

**Working hard on this next chapter now; so much going on in real life to take me away from LMTF. Not to worry, putting this snippet out so you know I am back on it, doing what I love. I hope to have an update up soon after this; the plot is just getting very … complex, as you can imagine. Just want to get it right, to give you a better quality read.**

**Anon-I reread last chap and agreed with you. Rewrote the last chapie a bit, think it flows better. **

**AW**

* * *

><p>The early evening hosted an eerie quiet broken by the low whistle of the wind on the mountain just east of the lake, the whistle formed by the air moving against the edge of a large outcropping, one too small to be called a cliff. On that outcropping was a being as old as the earth beneath, the eons bygone echoing in is head, his connection with the intangible spirits so part of his existence that the present, in its fleeting brevity, flitted by so fast to almost be lost to his attention.<p>

King Thranduil sat as a still, stately form upon the only beast he would ride, a great elk of the forest, a creature in its own right almost as old and stubborn as he. The bared rock was on the north side of the hill one that rose above the edges of Laketown, the road a traveler worn path that wound its way around boulders just before delving into the forested shores that surrounded the site of the dragon's last glorious devastation. That revelation pulled his complete attention, as its relevance reverberated through the memories coursing through his skull. It was sights like these that brought the constant flow of time to a standstill.

Even when traveling, the ancient king was a sight to behold, his taste for fineries and vestments matched his impeccable taste for wine. Thanduil's straight, elegant form was perfectly adorned with a deep rust vestment that tapered to follow his sleek, tall, lithe form; everything perfectly fitted and crafted with exquisite detail. Surrounding that was an ochre cape, draped over the haunches of the elk, in the front affixed at his neck by an ornate clasp with green and yellow and brown jewels, in a setting of silver branches. His shirt came to points at his elegant wrists, embellished with ornate, tasteful silver thread embroidery. His exquisite sword was affixed to his side. Atop his head was a carved elven crown, a latticework of fine silver metal, a slim jeweled band that sparkled close against pale blonde hair. Cloaked in such grandeur, the king sat as a statue over the scene before him.

The smoldering remnants of Laketown lay outstretched, a scene of chaos, death, and destruction. Gone was the centuries old town that once rose from the dark waters of the lake, a town once vibrant with life and trade, a town, truth be told, had been left to decay into banality in recent years. All that was left was the skeletons of a crowded, busy port, a blackened carcass, the buildings in various states of destruction and demolition, a sad and devastating sight for the road weary elves.

For one so ancient and worldly, with fine porcelain sculpted features that bespoke the perfection of high elven lineage, Thranduil sometimes had the quality of an elf much younger than he, yet his eyes revealed his complexity and years. Quite often, from his ageless visage, his expressive grey gazes went through whoever or whatever was before him, a window into a consciousness heavy with memory, his thoughts and very existence opaque, as if one who was omnipresent through time and space, existing in many epochs at once, his words reverberating through the air as if echoing through the ages. Thus it was so; the older a near immortal being such as elves became, the less in touch with reality, the here and now, they were.

Yet at times his gazes were as poignant and innocent in appearance as when he was a young elf. As Thranduil gazed upon the remains of Esgaroth, his eyes were wide, his thin lips parted, his dark brows raised slightly his face with the surprise and stark sadness of one who had lost too much too quickly. It was the same face he wore when holding his dying father on the field of battle, when looking on his young son, to tell him his mother was gone, the same face he wore when rescuing a recently orphaned fire-haired elfling in the woods…old pain, old wounds, old visions clouded his sight.

Behind him was the procession that had continued on the trodden path over the hills, the ancient road to Esgaroth less traveled now than it had been in the past, the elves keeping on with their mission, even as he pulled away from them. In his ears lingered the whispers and gasps of his people, ones that had accompanied him on this most charitable excursion. Yet their great king sat, eyes unwavering at the sight down the hill below him, the same sight that provoked the exclamations of dismay from his fellow elves.

Legolas, ever the attentive son, saw when the grand elk turned from formation, and he followed his father as he broke from the ranks and wandered to the edge of the hill before him. Legolas had waved on the rest of the guards, assuring them with a stern glance that all was well, and that the king was sufficiently protected with two of the best warriors now by his side. He rode up slowly, gazing before him briefly, the now familiar image of the devastated town no shock to him, and closed the space between them, his horse coming to rest besides his father's elk. Legolas knit his brows, wondering what was flowing through that ancient mind, what thoughts this wondrous being had that within his brain he did not wish to share. He examined his father closely, finally seeing that lost expression he did not see often.

Legolas frequently was in awe of his father, but as he grew older and wiser himself, as one must, begrudgingly and sadly, more and more often he viewed his father with the eyes of a mature being, an elf of his own worth. There comes a time in every son or daughter's life, if they were lucky, when they viewed their parent as a contemporary, able to finally see weaknesses and flaws as well as the things that astounded and endeared them. That could be devastating for some, enlightening for others. For Legolas it was a mixture of those emotions, yet respect and obedience had always been paramount to Legolas when his father was concerned; yet his will for the latter was waning.

They were made from the same origins, but had different souls; Legolas was one who was more practical, action oriented, highly principled and resilient. He lived in the present and planned for the future. He practiced power and strength and skill to secure his existence. He knew that, as much as he loved his father, some day he would have to leave Mirkwood behind to embark upon his own journeys, to truly live his own life away from his father's imposing shadow.

His attention was turned to another, more pleasing distraction, as Tauriel gasped quietly before him.

"_I saw some of what it did that night…._" She whispered in their elven tongue, with a sigh. "_Never could I have imagined such complete ruin._"

"_Smaug spared little_." Legolas replied. "_Save a few houses and a few brave souls_." Tauriel nodded before him.

Tauriel looked back at him briefly, her eyes wide and alert, yet saddened, her face with an expression of dismay. His horse shifted below him and he placed a comforting hand on the shoulder of the elf that now sat mere inches in front of him. Legolas closed his eyes and drank in her presence, yet did not reach out to hold her as he did before.

When he embraced her close before on the horse, shortly after their disagreement concerning their newest prisoner, she reacted by becoming briefly stiff and unyielding. Maybe she was just surprised by his actions, or just upset at the way he had treated her newfound friend. But now she sat still and quiet in front of him, eyes affixed to the same scene that held his father's gaze.

He begrudgingly could understand her reluctance; their ways with each other were often warm but not as tender or as close as he had suddenly become. Such distance may have been easier for him to bridge than her; she being in a decidedly subordinate position. Yet now, just her presence near him filled him with relief and a joy he could not deny. His feelings for his captain had changed; but this was confusing for him as well. He would have to have an important discussion with her soon, he believed, but it may have to wait until after they had dealt with this most recent disaster.

"_Such a sight I hoped I would never have to behold again." _Thranduil said in his low tone, his eyes blinking slowly. "_The destructive, evil power of a fire drake remains astounding; no matter how many unfortunate times it is witnessed_."

Legolas breathed heavily and tore his gaze away from the burnt out buildings as he looked more closely at the shoreline with his sharp vision. There were loaded carts and people milling about near the hastily built refuges.

"They seem to be on the move." Legolas remarked, his brows knitting.

"It does appear that way. " Thranduil said, the cool, detached expression of the great king returning in all its glory. "I wonder where to?" he said, glancing at Legolas.

"I will find out." Legolas replied to the subtle suggestion. Legolas took off down the hill, ahead of the contingents of elves on the road. He rode hard and fast through the forest, ahead of his entourage.

* * *

><p>Kili sat uncomfortably on the tall horse, holding on tightly. Dwarves were not at all comfortable with tall horses, being much more at home on ponies, and the stallions of the elves were particularly tall and high strung. He tried not to let his discomfort show outwardly but after looking around at the guards sitting next to him in glittering armor; he soon realized whatever he was doing did not seem to matter. They hardly gave him a glance and the entire caravan was quiet save some very infrequent mutterings between people behind him.<p>

He glanced back as far as he could while continuing to balance; there were several covered wagons with supplies that he could see, as well as scores of elves on horseback. In the middle of the procession were elves in many different types of clothing; male and female (he thought…it was hard to tell sometimes). A good number of the central group had no weapons, but were carrying tools and packs of varying sizes. That group was flanked on either side by soldiers who were glancing outward with some vigilance.

Kili felt lonely, even in this crowd; a foreigner, an alien in a world not his own. Around him were strangers; all but two. One who would think nothing of killing him, and the other…well, the other more well known to him than he should have ever had the chance to know. Kili sighed and resigned himself to just observing as much as he could, since at the moment he was powerless to do anything else.

The little lodge in the forest seemed worlds away, and a pang in his chest reminded Kili how much he was missing those precious hours, that intimacy with his elf... His eyes rested constantly on Tauriel, but when she turned is way, he looked away often but just as often returned to gaze at the face of the fire haired elf sitting before the prince. Her look was always intense, warm. Maybe suggesting she ride with Legolas was not such a good idea…the proximity of the prince to Tauriel made him uneasy; a heat rose from deep in his gullet and irritation and despair welled up when he saw them talking together. None of it was very reassuring.

He noticed the group had tightened up just as they set out and that the part of the caravan directly ahead of him seemed on alert. Thranduil's elk and Legolas, and Tauriel, were now surrounded by more soldiers with shields. Something had alarmed them. Kili pursed his lips, wondering to himself what it was. The whole group moved ahead slowly, and time wore on even more slowly.

His gaze was soon captured by the sight of the lonely mountain coming over the rise. He gazed at it, a twinge of relief coming to his chest. There it was, his destiny. A destiny he was at once sure of, yet saddened by. They continued riding on slowly and the lake came into view as the road took a turn over a rise. Next, he saw Thranduil, followed by Legolas and Tauriel break from the entourage and head to the visible edge of the hill they were now on.

He could not prepare himself for the next sight before his eyes.

"By all the gods…" he whispered out loud, his eyes widening, despair sinking deep as he finally saw the remains of Laketown.

* * *

><p>Bard had been walking along the makeshift tents along the shore all day, taking inventory; seeing how much had already been amassed; cataloging all the resources they had in his head. He was checking up with the other men who the townspeople now followed, their instructions not being questioned for the most part, even by the most disgruntled of the bunch.<p>

All the survivors of the town had agreed to the move to Dale; the whole lot of them caught between two towns devastated by fire as they were, but all agreed the more permanent structures of Dale would most likely be better in the future. Like Bard, they were worried and anxious at resettling, particularly in a place that had been dead such as Dale for as long as it was, but there was really no choice.

Practically everything that was worth anything was picked clean of Laketown, even though, surprisingly, some parts of the town still smoldered. The center of the tent settlement on the shore was the staging ground, where they had a large fire, burning whatever they could, cooking and sharing whatever they could with all. Precious little was left.

Such is the nature of man, to follow once given direction, especially if the people trust and respect, or fear, those in control. Many in Laketown already had respect for Bard and others like him; the fact that he had their best interests in mind was evident from before the disaster. The fact that Bard did not relish the position he found himself in also won him favor with those with doubt.

Bard stopped briefly to talk with Javier, for his group were packed up and ready to leave for Dale the next morning. They would be the first to go; the carpenter would pick the most promising of buildings and start repair, and leave the heavy task of cleaning up to those who would arrive in the following days.

Bard's attention was drawn by the sounds of galloping hooves to the southernmost part of their camp.

When Bard turned he saw the image of his friend and ally, Legolas, Bard could not contain the minute, satisfied smile that crept on his face, which had grown too accustomed to frowns and sad expressions, given the circumstances. Legolas was quite the sight, riding in on his white stallion through the trees towards the camp, the red haired elf astride the horse as well. Bard was never so happy to see an elf before. He strode with a fast clip towards the returning visitors.

Legolas rode through the shallow tree line and burst upon a group of Lakemen on the shore that had heard him approaching. In the center of the gathering crowd were Bain and Sigrid. Legolas dismounted, looking at all the surprised faces surrounding him. Sigrid approached him.

"I knew you would return! I knew it!" Sigrid said, a youthful excitement playing on her face, her hands clasped.

"Yes Sigrid. I gave you my word." He said, smiling at her warmly. "A legion of elves follow behind me. The elves of Mirkwood have come to help the people of Laketown." Legolas said, loudly so others could hear. A murmuring percolated through the crowd that had gathered.

Legolas regarded Bard with a wave and a nod before walking quickly towards him, in that swift but elegant elf stride, the look of familiar regard on his strong, stern features. They clasped arms in greeting briefly.

"It is good to see you once again, friend." Bard said, graciously. Legolas nodded in kind.

"I did say I would return. And I brought help as promised." Legolas informed Bard.

"I cannot thank you enough." Bard said. Legolas nodded with a brief smile.

Bard looked back at the horse he came upon, and nodded briefly at the red haired elf that had just dismounted the white stallion. Legolas looked around pointedly.

"You appear to be packing up the town." He said, his brows knit, his head tilted to the side. Bard turned to Legolas again.

"There is nothing left here for us on the waters of this frozen lake, save death." He said slowly, sadly. "We have decided to move to Dale." Legolas looked back at Bard with mild surprise, then thoughtful reflection.

In his mind's eye stood the ruins of Dale, burned as well, but abandoned. That place too was filled with death, just not as intimate and recent a reminder as Laketown.

"I see. But why there?" Legolas said.

"We thought it would be easier to rebuild with stone than charcoal." Bard continued, waving a hand towards Laketown. "Here is naught but ruin, the very structures that the houses were built upon have been damaged, burnt are the timbers down to the water's edge. It is too close to winter for to be able to do what is needed to repair the base as we must before winter truly sets in." he said. Legolas nodded soberly.

"You make a good point. But Dale is also in ruin."

"Dale is still in better condition than this will ever be again." He said. "We will need much help, for Dale has lain fallow for so long in the shadow of the mountain and Smaug…" he said. Legolas nodded.

"Our help will be given wherever it is needed." He said, a little concerned, but not showing it. He was not sure how his father would take this news. Bard stood close and spoke in low tones.

"And the King of the mountain owes these people much." He said, looking around. "A grave debt must be paid."

"Yes." Legolas said, lips pursed. He doubted that he King under the mountain would be as gracious as the men of Laketown hoped. Call it a hunch.

"We may have trouble…convincing him." Bard said, looking at Legolas sternly. Obviously, they had the same hunch. Legolas nodded.

"My offer of help remains. In every regard." He said, taking to strolling along with Bard towards the crowd and back to Tauriel and Bard's children. "My father has accompanied the company, to speak to he who killed the dragon." Legolas said. Bard looked surprised.

"The king of Mirkwood? Here?" Bard said. He shook his head, looking concerned. "We cannot accommodate …" he started. Legolas smirked.

"Not to worry, we are well aware of the circumstances. It is we elves who will be accommodating you." Legolas said. Legolas and Bard approached the group now surrounding his horse.

Sigrid looked away from Legolas and her father, and glanced back at Tauriel, who was turned around, looking into the forest.

"I am glad he found you." Sigrid said. Tauriel turned around and looked at Sigrid, puzzled. "He was so worried."

"So was I." Tauriel said, a little surprised at the gesture from this young woman. "You are the young girl at the house…" Tauriel said, recognition floating over her face. Tauriel smiled at her sweetly, but then her eyes knit with concern. "I see your brother here…but what of your young sister, and your father?"

"She is well, and my father is the man with Legolas. He is the one who killed the dragon." Sigrid said, pointing. Tauriel's brows rose and she nodded. Legolas approached closer.

"I see you found her!" Sigrid said to Legolas, a smile on her face. Legolas smiled at Tauriel warmly. "You must be happy."Sigrid sighed.

"Thankful." Legolas said, placing a hand on Tauriel's shoulder. "I am thankful."

The slightly disappointed look on the young woman's face did not escape Tauriel's gaze.

"So…did you find the injured dwarf too?" Sigrid asked, gingerly. "Kili?"

"He is alive." Legolas said, crossing his arms before him. The last thing he wanted to discuss was that little imp. Tauriel pursed her lips and looked at Legolas, then back at Sigrid, who still seemed concerned.

"He is much better now than when you saw him last." Tauriel assured the young woman. Legolas huffed a bit, rolling his eyes.

"That is a relief. So…did you tell him?" Sigrid said, excitedly, turning to Legolas.

"What would I need to tell him?" Legolas snapped, becoming a bit annoyed. Sigrid clammed shut. Bard was listening in from a distance, yet also felt the tension, and remained silent. Tauriel knit her brows, tilting her head, and leaned towards Sigrid.

"Tell him what, dear?" Tauriel asked, decidedly a bit more gently.

"That his brother and the other dwarves still live." She said, recognizing the unease in Legolas, not knowing quite why. "He must be worried…about his brother." She continued. Tauriel crossed her arms, looking at Legolas with a blank expression.

Legolas had forgotten that little detail about Kili's brother; but the truth was, Legolas cared little what their newest prisoner thought, or cared about. It could not be soon enough that the annoying dwarf now in their midst would take his leave and be on his way to Erebor. Not soon enough at all, for the elf prince.

"We have exchanged few words." He said, with finality on the matter, turning away from Tauriel and Sigrid, going back to speak with Bard.

Tauriel pursed her lips, closed her eyes, and shook her head, then looked back at Sigrid when Legolas and Bard took their leave.

"Kili will be relieved to hear the news." Tauriel said softly, a sincere smile on her face. She was happy for Kili; because his brother's fate had weighed so heavily on his mind. Tauriel could not wait to see the expression on Kili's face...

Sigrid nodded her head, a bit confused by Tauriel's reaction. It was in direct opposition to the way Legolas acted. _Why would an elf be so happy about the fate of dwarves? On the other hand, this was the very same elf who had stayed and healed one of them…_

"They left for Erebor on the night of the attack." Sigrid continued. "His brother saved me and my sister. My father promised Fili he would make sure Kili had safe passage to the mountain, if he was able." Tauriel.s expression saddened almost imperceptibly as she looked back at the forest.

"Yes, he is anxious to reunite with his brother. And he is able." Tauriel said, nodding bit wistfully. She looked down and pursed her lips. "But it may not be quite that simple…" She said softly, looking up at Sigrid's questioning gaze.

* * *

><p>The elves set up camp to one side of the Laketown encampment with such speed and efficiency it shocked the remaining survivors. Once the clean, neat white structures were erected, the tall, strong, quiet elves infiltrated throughout the Lakemen's camp, giving help where needed, fixing shelters, aiding in packing, handing out blankets and clothing, and assisting any way they could. Within hours, delectable scents were coming from several tents, many specifically set up as places for the Lakemen to come eat, the elven cooks churning out large amounts of food to feed the masses.<p>

Thranduil's tent was the largest, most ornate and the first one erected so that the Elf King could rest comfortably and later host the now defacto leaders of Laketown, Bard and the other men. Thranduil had much to discuss with them, especially about Dale, and the ensuing confrontation with the dwarves. But in the early evening, Thranduil spent much time alone in contemplation, simply looking over the lake, and glancing towards the Lonely Mountain.

The once worldly, ancient elf had become something of a recluse in Mirkwood in recent years; the views of such open expanse were awakening the stirrings of longing, yet the gnawing sensation of foreboding was sharpening his vigilance. Something about the dwarves and Erebor had awakened something dark, and Thranduil sensed all that had happened to Esgaroth was not the end of it…

Legolas had his own small tent adjacent to his father's; one he put up himself, fully expecting that he would not find himself there much, except for the wee hours of the night. There was so much to do; including being the intermediary between the elves and men of Laketown. Tauriel had also informed them of the presence of Orks in the forest, so they had to set up some sentinels around the whole perimeter of the joined camps. Tauriel' small tent was nearby his. Try he did, several times, to find a minute alone with her.

Legolas walked across the camp with Tauriel tent later that evening after briefing the troops. They walked side by side silently, mirroring each other's moves like they had for centuries. He looked over and found her head turned towards the far side of the camp and the Lonely Mountain.

"Tauriel…" He said softly, trying to not think too hard of where her eyes wandered. She turned to him, those intense brown eyes softening.

"Yes, Legolas?" She replied, a small smile and a question in her expression. He slowed down and turned to her. He had no idea how to broach the topic.

"Have I told you I am happy you are back?" he asked. Tauriel tilted her head and blinked her eyes.

"Yes…in many ways and words." She said. "And I am pleased to see you." She insisted, the sweet smile again on her face, one mixed with wonder. Legolas nodded, a bit awkwardly, his emotions threatening to burst from him.

"Yes, well. I feel… some things may have changed..." He said, surprised he could even get that far. Tauriel blinked and swallowed, her expression shadowed by a more serious tone. Legolas was now the one wondering, a sense of worry deepening.

"Yes…things… may have changed." She said, her eyes lowering.

"We should talk on it..." He started.

Oreyon rounded around the tent nearest them and regarded them with urgency. Legolas sighed; their conversation obviously had to wait… Oreyon approached quickly. Legolas and Tauriel glanced at each other briefly, the words unspoken hanging heavily between them, yet they turned to him.

"Tauriel. I have been looking everywhere for you. The King would like to speak with you now." Oreyon said, speaking softly.

"Of course. I will go now. " She said, nodding stiffly and obediently, a mild bit of anxiety on her face. Only Legolas would notice it; because he knew her expressions so well. Tauriel walked past Legolas, shooting him a brief wide eyed glance, her face a mask without emotion. Legolas turned to join her upon her exit, but Oreyon stopped him.

"I do believe he wishes to speak to her alone." Oreyon said, in a low tone. Legolas blinked, his brows knitting.

"Why?" Legolas said, face and voice steeled. Oreyon pursed his lips.

"Your guess is as good as mine."

* * *

><p>"My Lord." Tauriel said, as she entered the beautifully adorned tent of the King. Her voice was strong, but she knew full well he would sense the tremor in it.<p>

Thranduil sat on an ornate chair in his tent placed at the head of a table. He looked up from the maps strewn across the table as Tauriel entered timidly, but she still maintained a bit of boldness. She saw the steely grey eyes rise to see her, not revealing anything at all. They were stone cold, harsh. She looked away, down to the gold and brown clothing he was wearing. She saw the long, elegant fingers rub against each other and place themselves down on the table. Thranduil took in a deep breath and stood, waving his flowing vestments around him as he rounded the table, his head down.

"Leave us." He said, his low voice loud in the quiet. It made her jump. The guards at his door exited quickly.

They were now alone, and Tauriel's fear rose to another level. At least he would not chastise her in front of the guards she used to lead. She could not help but to think, why was Legolas not here?

Tauriel stood defiant, with her head tall, but a distinct question rose within her. What would Thranduil say? Do? And by the gods, he didn't even know the extent of the truth of it all yet… She had been worrying about meeting Thranduil all day…that is, when she was not avoiding the unasked questions of Legolas.

Tauriel swallowed hard and shifted uncomfortably. She steeled herself and looked up as he drew near. Thranduil stopped several paces away from her. His lips were pursed and his eyes intense, the muscles in his jaw tense, his shoulders squared arms by his sides. She looked scared, that she knew.

In a fraction of a second Thranduil approached her rapidly; she flinched and closed her eyes, not knowing what kind of wrath to expect. All at once she felt his strong arms surrounding her as he pulled her to him, tightly. Her eyes flew open, wide with shock and she let out a small gasp; she was barely able to breathe…

Thranduil was actually embracing her…She turned her head to the side in shock and wonder, her cheek now against his chest, her arms paralyzed by her side. She gasped as she felt his hand cradle her head and rub it firmly, yet tenderly, holding her close. Memories of those fatherly arms around her young body and his comforting, commanding presence rushed through her.

"Oh, little one…I thought I had lost you forever…" Thranduil spoke in a pained, low whisper, his voice full of emotion. She heard it through his chest, above and around her.

All her worry flowed from her in a torrent, and her knees faltered. These last few days, so filled with tangled emotion, and danger, and wonder, and near death experience, all of it…it had finally gotten to her. Tauriel felt her heart swell, and her body felt limp right then and there. Thranduil held her, kept her standing up, in his firm embrace.

"Do not worry, little one. I have you now."


	21. Chapter 21

**Authors Note:**

**I'm done with it so I figured...why not post it. Why should I make you wait?**

**Thanks Lexie Lewie and Moonpetals...more of my fave Elf King...mwah!**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Whatever the warmth Thranduil had shown her, it was still time for inquisition; Tauriel would not be let off that easily for her defiance. Thranduil reverted to being her stern king after ensuring Tauriel knew just how important she was to him.<p>

Tauriel knew she had much to answer to, yet much to conceal. She was exquisitely careful with her words and did not indicate timing; she avoided Thranduil's eyes, which were knowingly questioning. Thranduil walked around Tauriel slowly, arms crossed, his words few, his ears listening intently to whatever Tauriel dared tell him of the occurrences of the last few days.

"I did follow the orks as they left our lands, my lord, all the way to Laketown." She started. "They were following Thorin and his company."

"How do you know this?" Thranduil asked.

"Because they attacked the house in Laketown where the dwarves were." She answered, surprised she was keeping her calm. "Legolas trailed me and eventually accompanied me. He did bid me return to Mirkwood, but I refused." She admitted. At that, Thranduil shot her a glance. "He stayed with me, largely to keep me safe, I believe." She said, trying to take on most of the blame for his son's disobedience.

"Legolas makes his own decisions." Thranduil said pointedly. "Go on." That shook her a bit, yet she continued.

"We killed most of the orks that attacked the Laketown house, but I found one of the dwarves severely ill. Kili was dying from the ork poison." She said. "I was trained to be a healer; I could not leave our former prisoner to perish in such a painful way, not when it was within my power to save him." She justified. Thranduil turned around slowly.

"The black haired archer…" he said, remembering the discussion with the ork, looking back at Tauriel.

"Yes, the very one" she said. " Kili is Thorin's nephew." Tauriel added. Thranduil paused as he walked around her.

"Go on." Thranduil looked away. The fact that one of the heirs of Durin was in their midst was important information. Tauriel took a deep breath.

"Next, the dragon attacked while I was with Kili, and we escaped into the woods." She said. "We fled to survive while hiding from the dragon. I found our old lodge in the forest." Thranduil looked up at her. Tauriel swallowed and continued, quickly. "I took some of the weapons from the lodge and armed us…"

"You gave our weapons to a dwarf?" He groaned.

"So that we could protect ourselves and hunt." she responded. "We were struggling to stay alive in the woods." Thranduil shook his head in frustration. Tauriel continued. "Kili's wound healed slowly; he could not move with any speed. I would not leave him alone in the woods." Tauriel admitted, as Thranduil looked at her with mild annoyance. "Because…we became friends."

"Friends…" he said, the word sounding foreign in reference to dwarves.

"Yes, and it was a good thing because we happened on an ork pack in the forest one night. We fought together to defend each other, but I became badly wounded." Thranduil looked up with concern. "I would have died, had Kili not helped; he healed me." Tauriel let out a silent sigh of relief. Enough information given, without too much revealed.

Thranduil floated around Tauriel slowly, his thoughts twisting within his mind.

"Without your intercession, the sister-son of Thorin Oakenshield would have perished." He summarized. Tauriel nodded. Thranduil looked away. "Yet, without his intercession, you would have perished."

"Yes, my lord." She said. Thranduil nodded his head and closed his eyes.

_I have a dwarf to thank for saving the life of an elf I hold dear. Could it be that these two young souls, not poisoned with our tumultuous history, could birth a new alliance between dwarves and elves? Could the children of Uluvatar and Aule's creations learn to live together again in amity? _ He mused within. Thranduil turned around, his penetrating grey eyes upon her again.

"One last question, Tauriel." He said. Tauriel steeled herself. "Why did you go after the dwarves?"

Tauriel looked straight forward, her eyes drifting downward as she felt Thranduil's presence before her, the moments drifting by. Why indeed…she felt brevity was the most prudent way to explain.

"I felt I had to, my lord." She admitted, looking up, directly into his eyes.

Thranduil looked at her crossly. He felt Tauriel was not being completely forthcoming, yet he sensed further questioning would be fruitless. Brashness was not a good excuse. What other reasons she could have to do what she did he could not fathom…he turned around quickly and strode to the front of the desk, his back to her.

Thranduil recalled his son's state upon his return to Mirkwood; the wound on his face, the battle worn clothing… Thranduil knew Legolas would follow his own lead despite his father's orders. And he feared Legolas would again follow this Silvan elf into danger.

"You risked your own life, and possibly the life of my son with this." He said intently, turning his head to the side, so she could see his face. "Do not let my son's fondness of you become a danger for him." Tauriel held her breath.

"Of course, my lord." Tauriel whispered, the rebuke sinking deep into her soul. "It will not happen again." Silence filled the tent as Thranduil stood still. He eventually turned to face her, his body relaxed, his eyes less harsh.

"Make sure you have my healers have a look at that wound." He said, in a gentle tone.

* * *

><p>Later that night, Thranduil hosted Bard and his children, Javer, and Ronin, as well as a group of some of the women and men of Laketown in his tent for dinner. Legolas and Tauriel were there as well, instrumental in easing the tension. In the beginning, the men obviously felt out of place, but hunger and thirst soon overcame their awkwardness, when faced with such fine food and wine from the King's table. And Thranduil found the playful innocence of Bard's children refreshing.<p>

Thranduil spent some time observing the men who Legolas had specifically invited, and even though they all denied having a particular leader since the demise of the Master, it became clear who was the Lakeman who was held in the highest regard in the room; Bard the Bowman, as he was now being called, because of that faithful shot that finally slay the dragon.

Thranduil saw the shadows of his ancestor, Lord Girion, in Bard's face and solid stature, and the same quiet strength and dignity that had defined the former leaders of Dale. It was obvious to the ancient elf who was best suited to lead the survivors of Laketown into Dale, through the upcoming days. And he felt it necessary to warn him of what he knew of the dwarves. Eventually, Thranduil separated Bard from the crowd, and engaged him in serious, quiet discussion.

Bard was simply in awe of the generosity of the elves; and was surprised when Thranduil led him outside, to converse with him in the relative privacy of the night. They looked over the remains of Laketown with sad faces.

"And what of your plans for your people?" Thranduil asked, as he turned his head slowly.

"Our plan is to go to Dale, resettle there." Bard said. "And request that Thorin compensate the men of Laketown for the destruction caused by Smaug." Thranduil looked back at him with a cool demeanor.

"So I have heard." Thranduil said, "And why would Thorin comply?"

"Thorin himself promised that the riches of Erebor would again flow into the valley. We need to collect our just dues for aiding him on his journey. It will be used to rekindle the fires of Dale, so that man and dwarf can become goodly neighbors once again. " The corners of Thranduil's mouth rose with a sly smile.

"You may have to reason with a dwarf king who has lost the ability to reason." Thranduil warned.

Bard nodded, and rubbed his beard. Bard did believe Thorin was a good and proud man, but one who put the reacquisition of his kingdom above all else, including the lives of his men. But he also sensed a darkness, a bitterness that ran deep in the regal dwarf.

"We do not wish to rob him of his gold. They are but twelve dwarves in a stone kingdom rich in treasure, but without food or other necessities; surely, in due time, he will realize quickly he and his kingdom cannot exist in isolation." Bard said. "I hope…"

"Hmm. Hope is admirable, but having alternative plans… is wise." Thranduil urged.

"If not reason, then hunger will convince, I think." Bard said. Thranduil nodded and grunted.

"Where did the dragon fall?" Thranduil asked. Bard looked hard over the lake, and in the clear night he located the spot Smaug entered the water.

"Over there…I believe. It was aflame when it landed; and it created quite a wave." He answered. "I was relieved the arrow found its mark."

"It is quite the feat; to slay a dragon." Thranduil said, looking at Bard with reverence. Bard looked towards the town, the events of that night flowing through his mind again.

"Truth be told, it took man, elf, and dwarf working together, to kill the dragon." Bard admitted. Thranduil looked over the water then sheepishly back to Bard. Humility was a fine attribute for a statesman.

"As it was in times of old so shall it be again; the most important of wars has only been won when our peoples have joined forces." Thranduil said. Bard nodded in agreement. "There is much to be gained from the dragon's hide for the effort." Thranduil mused. Bard looked at him with knit brows.

"What do you mean?" he asked. Thranduil pursed his lips and drew his sword. Bard stepped back. Thranduil took the shimmering sword in both hands and presented the hilt to Bard. Bard ran his fingers down the exquisitely carved handle, which was an eerie bluish grey color, polished to a metallic sheen.

"The blade is steel forged by the finest ancient elven smiths, and the hilt is made from the heart of a dragon's tooth." He said, glancing back up to Bard. Bard nodded in understanding. Thranduil re sheathed his sword with a flourish, after gazing at the blade. "Dragon skin is prized in the making of armor, the teeth and claws used for weapons, the eyes for magic and other parts are used in a variety of ways." Thranduil remarked, nonchalantly.

"But the dragon has fallen beneath the water's edge. To what depth we do not know…" Bard said. Thranduil nodded.

"Like most evil things that have been left to fester and rot, it may yet rise to the surface once again." Thranduil replied, with a faraway glance to the south.

"We cannot wait for the carcass of a dragon to rise out of the lake in order to ensure the survival of these people." Bard said. "And we cannot fight without weapons or shelter." Bard nodded slowly, having the distinct impression the Elf King was not just speaking on dragons…Thranduil stayed still, staring south as if listening for something distant.

"A dark wind is stirring." Thranduil murmured.

"What do you sense on the wind?" Bard asked, looking briefly southward, knowing the old elves had mystical powers, and greater senses than man. There was something that unsettled the ancient, powerful king. Something that was more perilous than the trials of the men of Laketown.

"I fear the time for fighting is not yet over. And next time, it will take more than a single black arrow to win the battle." Thranduil said, eyes still cast southward. "Wars between neighbors cause the most destruction." Thranduil said, with a distant glance. Bard crossed his arms and glanced towards the Lonely Mountain. He sighed.

"We have to attend to our basic needs, and the challenges that lie before us now." Bard said. "Before we speak of battles and wars, I would like to try diplomacy." Thranduil looked back at Bard. A pragmatic man; another good quality.

"I see. And you would try to forge a treaty with a king who is mad with gold?"

"The 'request for help' would be better received were it delivered by someone Thorin trusts implicitly, I would think." Bard said in a low voice, leaning forward. "One who may be convinced of our position?"

"I believe we may have that very person in our midst." Thranduil returned, looking towards the far end of the camp.

* * *

><p>It was evening when Kili protested enough for his elf guards to take him to relive himself in the woods. He was growing weary of staying in the little tent they had set up and ushered him into many hours ago. They had thrown in with him his pack, searched and now fully disheveled, as well as a sleeping mat. Kili had made himself comfortable, but was restless, being so unused to staying still.<p>

On his way back through the woods from his mini-expedition, he gazed out over the multiple white tents that had suddenly appeared from the elf contingent, and in the center was a grander, larger tent, a fair distance from where he was, which was an even further distance from the more makeshift and dilapidated shelters of the survivors of Laketown. And beyond that was the lake, and the darkened shadows of an incinerated town that made him gulp every time he saw it. Kili pursed his lips and shook his head, crossing his arms. He was so far out of his own zone of comfort that for one of the first times in his life, he really felt alone.

Every time Kili closed his eyes he saw the looks the people from Laketown gave him as he was marched with the elf procession through the survivors once they first entered camp. Most were of disbelief. Some were of a deep despair and sadness that made his chest ache.

A friendly face, Bard's daughter, Sigrid, came to him at that time and told him of his brother's disposition and that of the other dwarves; that they were alive and well, and were probably in Erabor by now. Kili sighed with deep relief, and his eyes met another pair of caring eyes at that moment. Tauriel was standing next to the white horse, her hands busy stroking its mane, but her gaze was intent upon him. A sadness had flitted over him just then; he realized at that moment that surely, he would have to leave her. He kept looking at her long after he should have, as the elves continued through the survivor's camp.

Soon after, he felt the anger of a people whose home had been stolen from them. Many harsh glares were sent his way. Many were of hate. A pure hate, as if it was he who lit and fanned the flames of the dragon's breath upon their town with his own hands. When someone rushed at him, screaming curses about his kin, his elf captors turned to protectors, and surrounded him tightly. Kili felt it in his chest: remorse; even though he knew he had little to do with it the particulars of this tragedy. This is why he was taken to the far side of the elf encampment. Which was close to Erebor, as luck would have it. The Lonely Mountain rose up behind the rocky landscape, looming in the distance. It lured him, like a quiet whisper, and captured his gaze and halted his breath each time it came into view. Knowing Fili was there made the pull stronger.

Kili did admit it to himself; he would have followed his uncle to Erebor were he well, to see with his own eyes the halls of his ancestors, to bask in the glow of the riches of his people much like all the other dwarves who had awoken the dragon and his fiery ire. But life and fate had taken a turn; and now he saw the world from different eyes, and the whole situation from so many different perspectives it made his head spin. Never mind that his heart was breaking with this newfound ache in his chest, an ache, a need for something with someone he could never have.

"Can I stay here, outside?" He asked, looking up at one of the elves near him. This was a sturdy elf, with darker hair and brown eyes. He shook his head. "What are you worried about? I will not run away." Kili growled. "I simply would like to sit by the fire, and warm my bones a bit." He said, rubbing his arms. The elf before him glanced at him with that uncaring stony grimace and turned to one of the other elves. The one obviously in command nodded.

Kili plunked down unceremoniously close to the fire, so close that the heat nearly singed his eyebrows. He stared into the dancing flames and looked through the heated air above the fire, and the tendrils of smoke above that. The slowness of the rising heat made him feel even more melancholy. What a mess he had gotten himself into. He picked up a twig nearby and started to pick it apart, throwing bits into the fire. He started humming a slow solemn tune about the misty mountain.

Then the elves all around him, who were in various states of standing or sitting or leaning against rocks rapidly stood at attention. Kili looked around at them, puzzled, then through the undulating waves in the heated air above the fire. An indistinct figure walked into view.

"_Captain."_ They said.

"_At ease."_ The darkened figure stated in Sindarian. Kili would know that voice anywhere. His heart stood still and he sucked in a breath.

Tauriel rounded the fire, her face that stern, stony appearance, her porcelain skin shining in the firelight, her hair in a braid that hung behind her shoulders. The unfamiliar Sindarian words they exchanged lingered in his ears, yet Kili's eyes were captivated by the appearance of _his_ elf. Kili wondered if there would ever be a time he would not gasp or want to smile like a fool in her presence; even though he instantly felt giddy, he steeled his jaw and tried to keep his eyes from flowing down her form, lingering on her curves. That would be rude, in present company…She did not even look his way yet.

"_Have any of you eaten yet?"_ She said, as the soldiers relaxed.

"_Not as yet captain." _ The commander said, approaching her slowly

"_Then please go, all of you."_ She said, commandingly. _"The King's tent has more than enough left for all."_ The elves murmured with each other.

"_Who will stand watch?" _The commander asked.

_"__I will stay with him." _ Tauriel said, so sternly, there was no question. The soldiers all nodded and left the campsite, heading towards the center of camp.

Tauriel then turned to Kili, whose eyes had never left her since she came into view. Her face softened immediately and she smiled at him. He could not help but return the shy smile.

Just moments before, Tauriel had been in the Kings tent for dinner, acting as host, busy talking and supping with the Lakemen. She nodded pleasantly, but was not interested in the conversations. She ate the food, yet was not very hungry; every bite she took reminded her of the succulent meals she had with Kili, the tastes still lingering in her mind. She grew quiet and withdrew into the shadows when their guests became more comfortable, and the wine eased the tension. She wanted to see Kili. She had to see him again, if just for a moment…The urge became an ache. Eventually, she gathered up some food and placed it in her satchel. There…that was excuse enough for her.

"I must be quite a threat, to be guarded by four armed soldiers." Kili said, as he looked back at her with a playfully serious expression, one that harkened back to their first encounter in the dungeons.

"No…" She said, her voice changing to a more warning tone as well. "It is partially for your own protection." She walked slowly around the fire. Kili swallowed as he let his eyes wander over her. How his body ached with her so near…

"Aren't you afraid I'll run away?" He said, looking away, towards the lonely mountain, then back at her, his face set in as serious an expression he could manage at the moment. Tauriel stopped and looked at him, warmly, yet with some sadness.

"Yes." She whispered. His chest tightened and twisted, and his mouth fell open. She had rendered him speechless and paralyzed once again. He knew he would not leave her presence with any ease.

"I wont." He said, having no control over his mouth. Tauriel looked at him with that small smile that had taken his heart from minute one.

"We do not want you to become a target for the ire of the people of Laketown, after the disaster they have endured. And King Thranduil thinks you an important…"

"Pawn?" He filled in quickly. She pursed her lips.

"Messenger." She said. Kili harrumphed. They both knew it; Kili was seen both as a pawn and messenger at this point.

Tauriel came to sit down beside Kili, rather close, her eyes still on him. They stared at each other silently for a while. In just several hours, circumstances had distanced them from each other; yet in these few moments, the way they regarded each other warmed them both, reminding them of their special bond, and very special history with each other. Tauriel instantly felt comfort again, in his presence.

"Are you alright?" Kili asked, his low voice quiet. She tilted her head, puzzled, her lips tilting up in a beguiling smile.

"It is I who should be asking that of you." she said. "Have they been treating you well?" she asked.

"Well enough." He said, tilting his head. "But they have hardly said a word to me." Tauriel pursed her lips. Silence was torture to Kili, that she knew. He looked back into the flame.

"Most elves are not very talkative." She said.

"I do feel like a bit of a pariah." He admitted, looking back up at her. She looked away, and took out a wrapped package from the satchel around her waist. She opened it to reveal the food she had collected from the Kings table. Some braised rabbit, bread and a few potatoes. Kili's eyes opened wide and his stomach growled audibly. Funny, he had not been feeling hungry at all until she arrived.

"I figured you would need to eat." She said, a smile on her face. Kili took a bite of the meat, nodding. She handed him a skin with wine. He drank it down in almost one gulp, wiping his lips with the back of his hand, a big smile on his face. Tauriel smiled widely. He always made her smile, without even trying…

"Now, this…is good," he said, holding up the skin. "And this is…fine." he added, looking down at his meal in his lap.

"Not as good as the dishes you made me." She admitted, then smiled shyly. Kili shook his head slowly, with a small laugh.

Maybe one day he would be able to cook for her again, he hoped. He looked up at her, her sparkling eyes calling to him, her smile tempting him. He was resisting the urge to grab her and kiss those luscious lips. It was difficult…

"Thank you." he said, shyly. He ate a few more bites in relative quiet, just happy to have her again by his side. "So… What is to happen to me?" he asked, and then took another bite of the meal she brought. Tauriel sighed.

"I don't know." She said. "It is up to Thranduil, although Bard is insisting you be released to join the other dwarves." She said. Kili noted a bit of sadness in her voice, a sadness mirrored within him. Kili nodded slowly, put down the meal and clasped his hands.

Kili looked to his side, and his eyes met with the most beautiful olive green eyes of the most gorgeous creature he ever had seen.

Never before had his heart been so divided. How he wanted to see Erebor, and hold his brother's arms once again, and laugh and sing with his fellow dwarves. Yet, the elf next to him he felt he needed to be with, to touch, to hold, to love…_his_ elf, almost more than he needed to breathe.

But that…that was just a dream.

Yet here she was. Besides him again, of her own choosing. Kili did not know when he would be able to be this close to her, or be able to speak with her again with such privacy. There was something he had to find out.

"The prince...he has great regard for you." He said, his low voice rumbling, looking at her eyes. She knit her brows slightly, her lips pursing, her eyes wondering . "He cares for you …as more than a sister." Kili continued, his eyes locked on hers. It was not a question. Tauriel's eyes showed understanding, and she sighed, but did not avert her glance from his gaze.

"Yes." She said, almost apologetically. Kili was very observant, that she knew.

Kili closed his eyes and shook his head, lips pursed. A dread set into his chest. It was just as he had felt when he saw them together; just as he had feared. Immediately his heart ached as if raw and he questioned everything that had happened over these last few, wonderful days.

"Why did you not tell me?" He whispered, his mind racing, his pain revealing itself in those few words of unease.

"Kili, look at me." She said.

Kili breathed heavily, opened his eyes and looked back at her. Her eyes were soft, gentle, and worried.

"I did not know." She said, with such sincerity, he could not help but believe her. Yet he shook his head.

"It was immediately obvious to me; how could you not know?"

"His father forbids such involvement." She said. "Therefore, I did not pursue it." Kili stared at her. He would not have let such a thing stop him… But it was time to ask what truly mattered to him.

"How do you feel… about him?" He asked, nearly wincing. Why did he ask questions he truly did not want to know the answers to? Because he had to know…

Tauriel looked away, into the fire, breathing slowly. The seconds to her answer were long, and stretched Kili's nerves like nothing else he had ever encountered.

Kili's mind raced. Tauriel should be with this prince because he was an elf. One of high standing, one who obviously cared for her. Kili thought he should be able to accept it, it was what was best for her…yet all he felt was a void; empty.

"I do care for him," She said finally. "And it may have grown into more, despite his father's wishes."

Kili's heart seized and lodged in his throat and he felt physically ill. She turned to him.

"But now… I have these…stronger feelings for someone else. Feelings that I must…try to understand." She continued, thankfully. "Feelings for you…"

Her soft gaze his way was thrilling to him, as his heart began to beat again, thumping hard within his chest. She cared for him…she admitted it. Every muscle in his body wanted to jump out and grab hold of her. It took every ounce of control for him not to. But the elation was brief, because reality set in.

What was there to understand? This was an impossible situation.

"But with this someone else…there is no tomorrow." Kili sighed painfully. "You said so yourself." He looked away, into the fire, despair taking hold.

Kili nearly gasped when soft, slender fingers entwined with his. He gripped them tightly, barely breathing. He closed his eyes and wished silently that she would never move. Just her touch made him whole…

"That did not stop us, did it?" She whispered in his ear. Kili laughed softly.

She relinquished her hold on him and stood up swiftly, her hand reaching for her knives, staring into the relative dark beyond the light cast by the fire as she looked steely eyed towards the center of the camp. A dark shadow advanced.

"_It is just I, Tauriel._" He said. It was Oreyon. Tauriel pursed her lips in annoyance and relief.

"_I am glad I held on to my weapon_." She said, with some warning. Oreyon smirked and nodded his head. If there was anyone else other than Legolas who could have anticipated her moves and maybe avoided injury, that would have been Oreyon. "_You needed me for something?_" she asked, putting away her knives.

"_Actually, no. I came for the dwarf_." He said, crossing his arms before him, regarding the young dwarf with mild curiosity. "_The King requests an audience._" Oreyon had seen them sitting close together, that she knew. Tauriel wondered what more he saw…she looked down at Kili.

Kili looked between them as they conversed in Sindarian. When they both looked at him, his brow lifted.

"What?" he asked her, in his low voice. Tauriel pursed her lips.

"The king would like to speak with you." She said, her face painted with a bit of surprise. Kili looked into the fire for several slow seconds. He dusted his hands off and stood up. His eyes rose to Oreyon.

"Well…lead the way." He said. Kili felt that he might as well get this over with. It was time to learn what the great elf king had planned for him.

Tauriel, on the other hand, was mortified...


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's Note**

**Thank you all you who read and commented on my two shot: Lexielewie, Syblime, Bigficfan, Moonpetals, Jampaqd, Nior Ecrivian, Talizania . I had so much in me that both chaps came tumbling out. **

**Saw the new official trailer BOTFA and whatever TV spots I could get my eyes on; OMG the way Tauriel and Kili looked at each other I nearly melted. Aidan and Evangeline either have some serious chemistry or are really great actors. ****So many scenes with mystery. But…Thranduil is acting like he is REALLY mad at Tauriel. Gandalf is looking kinda rough. Kili seems to have developed some courage in going up against his uncle. I still know I am going to bawl…**

**(Look at the UK trailer. that one has the best screenshots for Kiliel fans; I made a LMTF screen saver from it … first try so it is pretty rough…) **

**Chapter Warnings!: some violence, sad stuff, low points and some (VERY) heavy M between the {{**}}**} for those with innocent eyes... **

**Hope you enjoy!**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Tauriel followed behind Oreyon, Kili by her side, preoccupied with worry as they walked through the elf portion of the encampment. Why did Thranduil want to see Kili? Any reason she could figure would not be a good one. And another problem, what would Kili say about them? She could not imagine that a meeting with the hot blooded dwarf and the cool, calculating elf king would go well at all.<p>

Kili turned to look at her a few times, his brow knitting, matching hers. To be honest, Kili had not been very worried about meeting the king until he saw Tauriel's consternation. He felt her trepidation as a tension between them, a tension he was not about to tolerate.

"It will be fine." He said, in a low voice, trying to reassure her. Tauriel pursed her lips, and held her breath for a moment. She knew very well the elf before them could hear every word. She shot Kili a subtle look of warning, as Oreyon turned his head ever so slightly their way. Kili understood and returned to their silent plodding.

The night was cool with a brisk breeze that frosted the tip of Kili's nose. He looked from side to side as they walked, the other elves looking only slightly their way as they walked by. Kili listened hard; the elves walked silently and moved fluidly as if floating through the air. Yet their faces were cold, emotionless by default, even their breath did not produce white vapor in the air. He glanced over at Tauriel. She was warmth and sun to him, fire and passion once her eyes met his. She was so much different than the others…

Suddenly, just as they had nearly reached the ornate, grand tent of the King, a low drone of a horn sounded from the distance. Tauriel and Oreyon heard it clearly, and halted in their tracks, looking urgently to the origin of the sound. Again it sounded. Kili heard it too, yet it was much less loud to Kili, and he looked on at the two elves with confusion.

"_A sentry's call, from the edge of the woods." _Oreyon said, in a concerned tone. Tauriel nodded, alarm on her face, an alarm that changed into realization.

_"__It could be Orks…" _She said, almost in a growl. _"Lets go!" _She insisted. Oreyon nodded. He briefly glanced backat Kili.

"_He is the least of our worries. Go on ahead, I have to fetch my bow_." Tauriel said to Oreyon, who nodded, and joined several other elves moving fast towards the alarm. Tauriel turned quickly to Kili. "Come…"

She did not have to say it twice. They moved with some speed, Kili favoring his leg little as they went into her modest tent, centered in the grouping of white structures of the King's entourage.

"What's happening?" Kili said eyes wide. Tauriel grabbed a quiver and slung her bow across her shoulder. She looked back at him determinedly.

"That alarm was from a sentry we placed on the edge of the woods." She said. "My guess is that they found more orks." She turned around to leave "Stay here, Kili…"she started. He took a step towards her and grabbed her arm, getting between her and the entrance of the tent, his eyes hardened in surprise and anger. She looked down at him, her frustration mounting.

"If you think I am going to stay here while you run off to fight…" he said in a low voice, teeth clenched, eyes looking keenly into hers. He shook his head. Tauriel looked back hard at him, exasperated. Yet she understood. All warriors would…

Resigned to the fact he would not take no for an answer, Tauriel walked to the corner of the tent and grabbed the bow, quiver and short sword she had given him before, one used in such an occasion before. She handed them off to him, one by one, and then took another look at his face.

"Try to keep up." She said, face stern.

"Lead the way." His face set with a dark fierceness, a fire in his eyes and a hardness in his gaze that made her draw breath. It made him look all the more alluring…

They hurried along, winding around campfires and around tents, slower at first, because Tauriel was matching Kili's stride, but his leg loosened up and he moved more and more smoothly the further they went. In several moments they reached their destination. The firelit night gave way to cold darkness as they broke into the blackened woods, the peaceful stillness disturbed by the sound of battle: growls of demons, groans of death, clashes of steel and the cracking of boughs as bodies were flung against trees..

Tauriel felt the blood in her chest rise at the sight of the dark shadows. She did not even slow down as she drew and released her first arrow into her first kill of the night. The distinct Sindarian orders were being barked by a voice Tauriel knew only too well…Of course Legolas would be here. Her prince was there in the midst of it, his arrows deadly in close quarters. He glanced her way but a second

_"__Nice of you to join us…" _ Legolas said, his tone a little harsh. His gaze not entirely warm and inviting.

_"__You know I would not miss this…"_ Tauriel replied, her eyes hard and angry. He should have just said what he was thinking…Where were you?

What followed was the swift demise of the orks barreling towards her, as she relished their yelps of death. Tauriel took much satisfaction from fighting evil creatures. Fighting other peoples, not so much. She glanced to her left, and saw Kili shooting arrows off with the speed and accuracy of the archer she knew he was. Then he dropped the bow and drew his sword, jumping up on a rock and launching himself on the back of an ork headed her way. She could not help but to smile internally…fearless.

There were many more of the grizzly, ugly beasts than she and Kili had encountered the other night, and it was taking the dozen or so warriors in the woods some time to gain control over them. She noted more elf warriors and some Lakemen continued to join in the fray, because they were close at hand from dining in the King's tent. Bard was among them.

Kili was sticking close to Tauriel, yet he was fighting with voracious skill, not letting any black blooded creatures that appeared behind them escape with their life. They came at them as if from everywhere; like a black blight coming from the shadows of the forest. Tauriel jumped and rolled, throwing a dagger into an ork trying to jump on Legolas. He looked over at her with a grin then blinked as he saw Kili slicing into his latest victim.

_"__What…is he doing here?"_ Legolas snarled at Tauriel, in sindarian.

"_Killing orks_…" Tauriel said, harshly. "_Do you have a problem with that?"_ she said, spinning and launching herself at one ork, twisting the blade in his bulbous chest as she glared back at Legolas "_I don't._" Legolas simply growled and continued on his deadly rampage.

Eventually, all that was left were a few orks and wargs that were being hunted in their retreat. Tauriel looked on as Kili pulled the ancient elven sword from his last kill and the blade's glow faded.

"They are gone…" He said, glancing at the blade, his eyes shifting to Tauriel with a satisfied, elated grin. Tauriel regarded him with a warm smile. The joy was short lived.

"Legolas!" Oreyon yelled from several yards away. "_Come_ _quickly_!"

Legolas turned around from his position on slightly higher ground and rushed over to Oreyon's side. Oreyon was on his knees, bent over the figure of an elf lying in a pool of his own blood, two ork staffs protruding from his chest and belly.

Tauriel ran over as well, gasping once she had reached the three elves. Kili approached close, but not too close, observing the sad situation silently.

"Oh no…" Legolas gasped and fell to his knees, leaning over to take off the bloodied helmet, to reveal the pale face of an elf warrior gasping and groaning, his blue eyes wide with pain. Oreyon moved his hands methodically over the elf, checking the wounded with the hands of a healer as Legolas spoke softly to him. Legolas looked up to Oreyon; their eyes met and Oreyon shook his head in regret. The elven prince grunted in dismay, covering his eyes, trying to hide his anger. He leaned over and punched the ground, his blue eyes harsh, the muscles tight in his jaw. After a few hard breaths, he leveled his eyes at Oreyon.

_"__There is only one thing we can do." _ Legolas said, sadness and anger making his voice rougher. Oreyon nodded as he scowled.

_"__Medui Thul …" _ Oreyon said. With those words, all the elves who within earshot drew near and dropped down onto one knee, including Tauriel, who clasped her hands over her chest and lowered her eyes, head bowed. Kili looked all around him with somber reverence. The night grew still; the air itself became heavy.

Legolas lifted the torso of the elf gently so he would be a bit upright. After that, Oreyon placed his thumb on the elf's forehead, and his fingers on the edge of his face and uttered a slow incantation, struggling to finish near the end.

Kili watched it all with rapt attention. This was all very confusing…From Kili's perspective, the elf then seemed to improve; his groans of pain quieted and his eyes opened clearly. He heard Legolas and Oreyon converse in hushed tones with the elf for several minutes. Kili was rather surprised; he did not know that elvish medicine could heal wounds as grave as what he saw the elf had sustained. He looked over to Tauriel, who still looked on with a sad expression painted on her beautiful features. He wanted to reach out and question her, comfort her.

In another minute, however, the wounded elf stopped breathing and his eyes closed. Only then did all the elves rise, a few of them surrounding the recently deceased, lifting the body slowly, and carrying it out of the woods. Tauriel stood up and walked up to Legolas and Oreyon, whose arms were crossed, faces masks of sadness. Bard, who had been observing it all from a vantage point behind Kili, walked up to them slowly.

"I'm so sorry for your loss…" He started, looking all around at the retreating, somber elves and men. "It seems that the need for shelter and weapons has grown more urgent." He said, looking around the woods. "We are too many souls exposed in this camp, we will not be able to defend ourselves should another of these hoards arrive." He said, gritting his teeth. "It will be a slaughter." Legolas and Oreyon glanced at each other.

"I must inform my father of this. He will be displeased…"Legolas said. "But I do share your concerns." Tauriel nodded, her face solemn. Tauriel did not envy Legolas this detail, having to go to his father with this news. Thranduil will be aghast and irate.

"Most likely, we should all plan on taking our leave as soon as we are able." Oreyon continued. "We cannot wait." Bard nodded. "I will send whoever I have available to help your people do what is needed for the journey."

"We will work into the wee hours." Bard insisted. Legolas and Bard turned to exit the woods. Oreyon turned to Tauriel, looking briefly at the dwarf who was not so far away, his brows knit with thought.

"_The dwarf has demonstrated sufficiently to me with whom his alliance lays this night._" Oreyon said. He looked back at Tauriel.

"_How easy is it for us to fight a common foe together._" Tauriel said. Oreyon sighed and nodded.

"Dwarf, I doubt there will be an audience with the King tonight." He glanced at Kili, who nodded.

"Understandable." Kili said, with a bit of lightness.

"I will take him back, Oreyon." She said. Oreyon nodded after regarding Kili with an expression Kili could only guess was curiosity.

Oreyon took his leave behind Legolas and Bard, and Kili and Tauriel started walking slowly out of the forest, in silence for some time. Her eyes were intent on the ground. Kili let some silence linger between them, glancing around the forest for deadly beasts, staying quiet next to her until they reached halfway across the encampment.

"What happened back there? I mean…with the wounded elf. I thought he was being healed." He said. Tauriel turned to Kili, her eyes sad. She did not want to talk about it, but Kili wanted to know.

"His wounds were beyond repair, yet his body would continue to try to heal. An elf can be mortally wounded, yet linger for days in excruciating pain." She explained. "_Medui Thul_ is the rite of the Last Breath…it eases the pain, yet it hastens death. It grants the dying some time to share their final words in painless peace before their bodies die, and their spirit goes to the Halls of Mandos in Valinor." She said, softly. Kili nodded soberly.

"An act of mercy." Kili said in understanding. Tauriel nodded slowly and then they continued on their way back to his tent.

Tauriel looked around but the soldiers that had guarded him were not there. The fire that was raging had quieted down to little more than gentle, flaming embers. Kili stood before her as she looked into the fire, the gentle light flickering off her face, her saddened eyes.

"Did you know him?" Kili asked softly, as he stared at her. "The elf who perished…" Tauriel looked back at him with a brief glance.

"Yes." She answered softly, her head turning to the side. "We trained together as elflings. And have been together in the guard for centuries." Kili pursed his lips.

"I am sorry, Tauriel." He said, softly. Tauriel smiled, and then looked down at him warmly.

"We fought well together. Again." She said. Kili looked at her adoringly.

"Ah, but this time, I would not see you hurt again by those beasts." He said. Then he smirked. "Not that you needed any help from me…"he said.

"It was appreciated." She said. He went to hand her his weapons. She shook her head, and looked at the mountain behind them.

"You should keep those. Who knows what else is lurking out there." She said. He nodded. Tauriel looked up towards the main tent; even this far away, she could practically hear the loud reaction of her king to this newest incursion. Legolas would be looking for her… she was sure of it. She looked back at Kili.

Kili became serious, as he looked up at the mountain looming behind them. A gentle gust pushed his hair from his face.

"Tomorrow we travel to Dale…" he said, his voice saddened. He did not need to continue his thoughts out loud. And after that, Kili would be heading to Erebor. That gripped her within…

"I have to go …" she said, feeling she would crumble in despair. "You should get some rest." She said. Tauriel took her leave rapidly, lest her body would lose the will to leave Kili's side. Already her mind did not want her to go.

Kili could not hide his disappointment. All Kili could do is watch her go, his heart sinking deeper and deeper as the distance between them widened to a chasm.

* * *

><p>Tauriel retired to her tent later that night, as soon as Legolas went to his father's tent to discuss things other than what they would have discussed around the Lakemen about the plan to travel together to Dale. Thranduil's motives for this journey were not singular and pure, she realized; he had his own agenda to exercise, and his patience was wearing thin with the attack of the Orks.<p>

Tauriel had heard the mumbling whispers from those who she had once directed. She knew there were questions in their minds as well about the dwarf who had come into their midst, and how he would play into this mission, and his involvement with their captain, but her heart was heavy and tired from all that had happened that day. A doubt had drifted through her mind, and now it gripped her.

She lay on the mat, in her dark tent and closed her eyes to try to facilitate her rest; yet the clearing of the mind would not begin. When alone and not distracted by activity and conversing with others, she felt a longing for those simple gentle touches on her skin, a longing within her for the warm, solid body that had spent but a few days next to hers, in that quiet little lodge in the forest. The sensations of being with Kili played over within her mind, again and again: their arms and legs entwined, their hands clasping, their mouths hungrily tasting each other, his breathy gasps of pleasure like surrender echoing in her ears, the feel of his skin against hers, tickling hair, , the smell of warm, moist love and especially the feeling of a satisfying twisting ache spreading within her body when they were pressed together…

Tauriel twisted around on her side, curled her long legs up and wrapped her arms around them. She wanted to run into the woods screaming. She felt so empty, so unfulfilled now, that she only had herself to answer to. She had to admit it; she wanted him, even though her heart still was a shocked knot of confusion, she knew this much: every sinew of her body wanted to be with Kili. She wondered briefly if this sensation between desperate need and painful want and the deep satisfaction at fulfilling that need was how it felt to the drunkard to hunger for wine or smoke. It was a bit frightening, the way she felt for him. Maybe all that had happened, maybe it did not matter at all…maybe it was all physical sensation; meaningless spiritually…but that was not what her heart felt.

And there was another conundrum now…Legolas.

She had spent hours with her prince this day. The way he held her close to him, when they rode in towards Laketown, both shocked and frightened her. It became immediately obvious to her that something within his mind had changed. He had held back since then, but it was clear he was simply waiting for some sign from her, a sign she could not yet give. It was evident in the tones of his voice, the look in his eyes, and the fact that he would barely let her leave his sights all day. The attention she was receiving from him now was what she would have killed or died for in the past, attention she had craved since her earliest of memories in the royal court.

But, as the years progressed, she had resigned herself to becoming as close a friend as Legolas would let exist around him, and tried to convince herself what she felt was a kind of brotherly love. The emotional distance Legolas maintained was not cold; he went out of his way to make her feel special; too special sometimes. He expected more from her than others around her. He trained her harder, and tested her more; and she worked hard at pleasing him. She felt his efforts were because he did not want her to ever get hurt. His training and protection was his greatest gift to her.

Tauriel often felt that Legolas personified the pressures and expectations of his position. He was, of course, the only son of one of the greatest, oldest Elf Kings in middle earth, and frequently his emissary. Legolas thought constantly of the kingdom and his people long before his own personal desires. Whatever warmth he showed to her previously, it was brief and poignant. But now, she could not deny there was definitely something different and new about Legolas. Even the stalwart King glanced their way several times, his intense eyes turned her way several times this day. But she could not bask comfortably in that newfound attention from them.

So much had changed, to her, around her and within her these last few days. Her long repressed desires were allowed to blossom in the most satisfying of ways in the presence of a young dwarf who embodied warmth and passion, one who did not hesitate to demonstrate his emotions. The speed and intensity of what had happened between them had taken her by storm, shook her soul and yanked her forcefully into living in the present.

Because of how different their origins were, there was an equality between she and Kili that she never felt in Thranduil's halls. There was a freedom that she could do what she wanted, say what she wanted and feel what she wanted with this young dwarf that was satisfying. The feelings of warm, shy worship, then growing adoration that had grown in her heart over the centuries for Legolas was like solid firm, ground, a foundation of her being, but it did not even come close to this intense, hard felt compulsion for Kili that echoed through her body, the feeling of needing to soar free through the heavens which was how being with the young dwarf made her feel.

Tauriel had much to distract her mind today. But she eventually had to admit it; every time she saw Kili, even from a distance, she ached. She longed to throw her arms around him when his eyes lit up momentarily after she told him his brother was alive and well, and was probably in Erebor. But then his light dwindled to a sad, lost expression. And when they fought side by side this day, she could practically feel Kili's protective force around her, and it warmed her. Then the elf warrior died and she left Kili alone….

It was late, and most of the elven contingent was resting, the people of Laketown sleeping. She could not help to wonder; was Kili sleeping? She sat up on her mat. With her ever present restlessness possessing her, she had to find out. Tauriel slipped silently from her tent into the dark cool of the night. By a circuitous route, looking around carefully for prying eyes that may have followed her, she circled around the small tent where their former prisoner lay. No guards were positioned at his tent anymore after this evening's ork attack. No doubt, Oreyon felt there were better things for his guards to do than stand watch over someone who would probably not leave anyway. She crouched down on the side of the tent; all was quiet. She untied the cords at the entrance, and ater a few shot breaths, she entered.

In the darkness, Tauriel could see a small, mountainous form curled up on a sleeping mat on one side of the small tent. She breathed in deeply, hardly believing she was there, pausing to reaffix the bindings on the door of the tent. She approached the sleeping form slowly, crawling up beside him, lying down next to his body.

Kili was laying on his side, arms curled under his head, his flowing dark hair pulled back. Tauriel looked at him warmly, his features barely discernable in the low light, his pursed lips drawing her, her own lips curling into a smile of their own accord. Even just lying here next to him, with him unaware of her presence, decreased the pining ache within her, his proximity comforting her, creating a different kind of tension, more pleasant.

"Kili…" she whispered, almost inaudibly, her hand brushing over his cheek. "Kili…"

Kili's brows knit together, his body stirred, and his eyes fluttered open with sleepy slowness. Once his dark, nearly closed eyes focused on her, he gasped, raising his head…

"Shhhh…." She said, her finger on his lips. He blinked a few times.

"By Mahal, tell me this is not just another dream." He whispered, his eyes wandering adoringly over her face. "And if it is, let me not awaken just yet…" His hand surrounded hers, and he pressed her hand to his cheek. His hand stroked hers, and with another gasp, he sunk his fingers into the hair at the base of her neck, his strong fingers caressing her scalp. She gasped and her eyes fluttered as she drank in his touch.

"You are awake…" She whispered, a gentle smile on her lips. She let her eyes close again as he pulled her close and his now familiar, strong lips pressed against hers, his kiss hungry and urgent. His scent surrounded her as she wrapped her arm around his body, as his arm snaked around her and pulled her close to him. Tauriel flowed over to him with a wave of satisfaction, as she gladly accepted the tongue now entwining with hers.

She gripped his shirt tightly, her hands kneading the solid muscles of his back beneath her fingers. His body stiffened up against her as she slid her mouth down to his neck, feeling a thrill to her core as he groaned quietly.

"Oh…how I have ached to hold you again…" he whispered, before gasping between clenched teeth as she bit the soft lobe of his ear…

"And I you…" she breathed into his ear. His face nuzzled against her neck as he pulled her to lie over him, provoking a stifled giggle from Tauriel. He stared at her softly, blinking, his eyes brushing over her lips.

"I still don't believe it is you…" he whispered.

"It is I." Tauriel whispered back, a playful little smile now on her face. "How can I prove it?"

She shifted her arms to cradle his head as his firm grasp slid up to her upper back, and he then provoked a deep inhale as his hands slid to her lower back, pressing her body against his.

"Show me…" his low voice rumbled, as Tauriel's stomach quivered.

She leaned over and kissed his lips again, biting his lower lip gently, her hips moving of their own accord against the parts of his body that were responding to her proximity, provoking a low moan from deep in his throat. Tingling sensations floated all over her body, as his responses thrilled her, his movements echoing hers. It was more than obvious what she wanted; and it was evident Kili was more than willing to comply.

* * *

><p>Moments before, Kili was in a restless, frustrated, aching half sleep. The battle with the orks in the woods, and the threat of his meeting with Thranduil resounded through his head. Elves and dwarves were once civil, but never quite friendly; ancient mistrust and betrayal was there between their peoples. Since then he solidified his own opinion on the subject.<p>

He did not care about history, he did not care about jilted jewels and heaps of gold and old quarrels of old men in other ages; he did care about his people, burned to death in a kingdom captured by a dragon, his brother and family now in the halls of his ancestors, but now the most important thing to him was making his world one where he would be able to see and possibly be with the elf who had captured his heart, whatever the cost. Whatever he could do, he would.

Then he was tortured by seeing Tauriel with her prince. Tauriel looked at Legolas with a reverence and a sweetness that made Kili both boil with anger, yet feel cold as ice. And Legolas looked back at her with an expression Kili knew well, having felt it so deeply so recently for the same red haired elf: adoration. Her fierce prince looked at Kili with those cold blue eyes with such distain, down at him as a lowly beast over that elegant, sickeningly perfect nose.

He tossed and turned, trying to convince himself at one moment that Tauriel did not want Legolas, and he tried to remind himself of her words earlier, and in another moment, he kept reminding himself, painfully, that there was no way he and _his_ elf could, or should, be together. All these thoughts twisted his insides and made his sleep restless.

But now his worries were assuaged, and his body came alive with other urges. Awoken gently from sleep, Kili could not believe that he was indeed holding his dream in his arms again. At first he was unsure of the reality, but the familiar feel of her silken skin beneath his fingers, the softness of her lips, and the scent that lingered in his nostrils as he buried his hands in her hair convinced him this was indeed, _his_ elf in the flesh, no question. He pressed her close.

{{{

They sat up before each other, barely letting a second go by between hungry kisses and playful nips. Tauriel felt that fluttering sensation in her when Kili looked into her eyes hungrily, as his surprisingly adept fingers made quick work of the cord fastening her tunic together. She fought with his shirt and trousers, helping them find their place on the floor of the tent, only to be joined by her own trappings shortly. Soon they were free of their restrictions and they melted into each other's arms.

How remarkable it was, that pent up frustrations could simply be dissolved in seconds. The worries she had of the relations with Kili being just some one time occurrence, how they slipped from her head in moments. Her heart ached with the heat from his eyes, yet she was stirred by the thirst in his kiss, the sensations of his hard, taut muscles against her, the gentle tickle of his hair on her skin. Her arms wound around his body, and she sighed with satisfaction in his embrace. His fingers then mouth explored her trembling body. Tauriel bathed in the waves of desire that flowed through her, and savored the succulent taste of passion.

Kili held her close against his body, just the sensation of them being tangled together nearly making him want to explode right there and then, and he felt any time spent without her meaningless. He held her strong, firm back with one arm, fingers roaming over her muscles, gently sliding past the wound that nearly stole her from him. His mouth moved over her chest and belly, his tongue sliding over luscious skin and firm nipples, the taste of her body familiar and sweet. Tauriel wound her arms around his head, her hands buried deep in his wild, dark waves.

He pulled her down over him, one hand holding himself up as his other hand cradled her buttocks, her body moving against his as he slid into her. She wound her slender legs and arms around him as they pressed together, the parts of their bodies that had exercised such pleasure before finding it anew by joining again. Tauriel gasped and breathed, her body surrounding him with a tightness that made him groan and press harder until he thought he could not take possibly feel any more joy than he did right then and there.

Kili bent forward, and laid her body down gently, his hand behind her head, body still close to her. For moments, he hovered above Tauriel, watching her move beneath him as he lowered himself into her body waiting for him. Her soft, strong arms explored his chest, stomach and hips, as her legs wrapped around his and welcomed him to stay. As he moved his hips against her, he winced and a groan pushed from his throat as desire washed over him. Kili held his breath and his eyes open to look up at Tauriel as her eyes closed, her head fell back and from her mouth flowed quiet moans so sensual he could not imagine life without her…life without this.

Tauriel gasped as she felt Kili move against her, deep within and around her, her body arching to press against him, to feel his warm skin moving against hers. Her mind surged with pleasure as she was surrounded by warm flesh, hot breath, and moans of desire as her body writhed in delight. Her fingers dug into tanned skin, and desperately grabbed at dark, wavy locks. They made love, moving hard and fast against each other, struggling to contain their heightening voices, to keep the utterances from revealing to everyone around the little tent the extent of their forbidden bliss, as their passion peaked and then released like a flood...

Kili lay down on top of her afterwards, holding her near, breathing heavily, not willing to move. Her slow breaths and slowing heartbeat possessed his every sensation. That was fine, because Tauriel was holding him so tightly, she would not have let him go had he dared to venture from her grasp. After being as close as possible to each other for some time, long after the last uncontrolled shudder, they shared a long, kiss, lips and tongues exploring as if they would never have the chance to again.

}}

They finally recovered the ability to move after their fits of passion. Kili collapsed next to Tauriel, and sighed with deep satisfaction. Tauriel crawled up against his chest as he looked at her with adoration, burying one hand in her hair, stroking her face with his fingers as he gazed on her softly; as his breaths quieted.

Tauriel stared at him with wonder as her eyes traced each feature on his handsome face; his sculpted brows, his strong nose, his high cheeks and full, hungry lips. What was between them was not just transient or a mistake as she was wondering earlier, when confusion gripped her soul. Their affection did not last only one night, this…strange liaison… meant more than that to them both. Suddenly he spoke.

"Come away with me…" Kili said, in a breathy low voice, one so soft only the elf inches from him could hear. Tauriel's eyes widened, and her brows knit.

"What?" she said, softly, holding her breath.

"Run away with me, Tauriel. We will away to someplace where you and I could be together…and no one will care…" he said, a hopeful desperation in his voice. Tauriel blinked and took in a deep breath, shaking her head, incredulous.

"How…where would that be?" she said, in a small voice. Kili pursed his lips.

"Somewhere far, far away from here." he said. Tauriel pursed her lips.

"Oh, Kili…" she breathed, sadly. "There is no such place."

"Yes, there is somewhere…there must be." He insisted, biting his lip. "We would have to make it our own, just you and I, no doubt…" Then he sighed.

"Kili…" she said, holding his cheek, incredulous. Kili shut his eyes tightly and sighed.

Even as he begged her, his deepest hope, and he saw the hope also flutter in Tauriel's eyes, Kili had second thoughts against such an escape. The extent of his life, all 250 or so years were just a fraction of the life she would lead; beyond his existence, there would be so many more of her immortal days… How could he ask Tauriel to leave everything, just for him, leave her lands and all she loved, to live alone with him for a small portion of her life, just to watch him age and die? How would he feel, years from now, when he became old and grey and broken by time, as she remained as fresh and as beautiful as she was now? He could not do that to her…

"I'm sorry…I cannot ask that of you." He said softly. "I cannot ask you leave your people…" Tauriel sighed sadly. "It was just…a dream." He whispered, with disappointment. He was quiet for quite a while after, as they lay silently in each other's arms.

"Kili?" she said, questioningly, looking at his face. His eyes opened to lock on hers. She smiled and stroked his chin. "Tell me…" she cooed, "Tell about the place we would go…" she said, her voice soft, offering the chance for them to dream, together. Kili smiled, his eyes full.

"It would be somewhere in the mountains, up against the base of a sheer face. I would build it…a cabin, just for you and I, with the back end against the warm, secure earth for me, yet built into trees for the freedom it would give you…" he said. Tauriel smiled widely, running her hands through his hair.

"It sounds wonderful..." she said. He looked up as if seeing it.

"I'll make a clearing around the base, so that you can look up through a space in the trees…and I'll make a terrace…huge…right on the top so you can see your stars in the sky." He continued, a look of wonder crossing his face.

"And you could see your moon." She said, the infectious hope threatening to stamp out her sadness. The corner of his mouth lifted in that cheeky grin.

"Oh, but the stars are best seen on moonless nights…as we sit in a warm bath made for two…" he said, continuing to dream. He looked at her face and stroked her cheek. "And the cabin will have the biggest iron stove I can find in middle earth…" Tauriel laughed softly, such music. "So I can make you the most wonderful feasts…fit for the queen you are to me." He said. Tauriel gasped.

"I'll plant the most luscious herb and spice plants around it, so we needn't go far to find them." She said, practically giggling. Kili smiled widely, with that mischievous grin, his hand covering his mouth as he struggled not to laugh out loud. He settled down, the warm adoration returning to the eyes as he worshiped her face.

"And flowers, don't forget flowers." He said, touching her lips and chin. "But they will be jealous of the beauty that dwells within the cabin." He held her face in his hands. "And I promise, Tauriel, to labor tirelessly, for the rest of my days, just to make you smile, just like this." He said, before kissing her.

Tauriel's heart swelled and ached. How could she not adore this dwarf? Could such dreams come to pass? They kissed for some time, and she stared at him as Kili's eyes grew heavy. She snuggled against his neck, wrapped in his arms. Never was she so warm…

"I wish we could close our eyes and go there now." She said, melancholy gripping her again.

"Aye, that we can." He said, kissing her forehead, his low voice reverberating through her. "I will be there every time your arms surround me..." Tauriel wrapped her arms around him tightly and closed her eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>I know I know, major sappy stuff. I just could not help it. <strong>


	23. Chapter 23

**Authors Note**

**I hope you all did not get too sick on that sugar coated snack. There must be some sweet with the bitter that inevitably is to come…To be honest, when I first started this tale, I did not know which way it would go in my head elf or dwarf; but the fact is the Kiliel chemistry just drugged me. Thank you for going on the journey with me. Oh, I made a cover for the story and uploaded it to FF; let me know what you think… **

**It is frustrating; in my head this keeps getting longer and longer; and there is a side story, one that merges with this one, and another one that is writing itself in my dreams. If I don't stop myself, I will be writing a sequel; oh by Uluvatar and Aule, please save me… **

**Thanks for the commentary: LexieLewie, Bigficfan, Syblime, Jinxwriter, Talizinha, Jampaqd, Cari, Pass the Porn Tea, Vi-Violence, so glad you Enjoyed. Well, here we go…the hard part. I would be remiss if I did not include this scenario…**

**AW**

* * *

><p>The forsaken morning arrived as it should, right on time. It found Tauriel still lying with her dwarf, her arms wrapped around Kili's head and shoulders, their bodies pressed close, his head resting on her, just beneath her chin. During the night, Kili had recovered the woolen blanket they had used in their escape from Smaug from his pack. He spread it over them so they would stay together, skin against skin, wrapped in each other's arms for those few precious hours. Once settled, she had kept very still in the quiet darkness while sleep stole Kili away, yet he kept her close in his embrace, his arm resting in the hollow of her waist, between her hips and ribs, his hands pressed against her back. During the hours preceding the morning, when she would stir even a bit, that movement provoked a tightening of her lover's arms around her, his fingers curling against her with gentle insistence, an unconscious plea that she not move from his grasp.<p>

The slight lightness in the sky reminded her that the entire encampment would soon be on the move, too many eyes to see what should not be between the dwarf captive and the elf captain. Her eyes opened as she left the meditative rest she floated into so easily in Kili's arms. She sighed and gently caressed the scalp beneath her fingers, stirring the smooth, dark waves with tenderness. Tauriel closed her eyes and kissed the hair covering his forehead fondly, inhaling his scent, a scent now dear to her. A quiet purring arose from Kili's throat.

"I must go." She whispered, barely audible.

"I know." Kili bemoaned, as his strong archer's arms wrapped around her tighter. She held him tighter as well, pressing her face against his head, as she felt his downy cheek rub softly against her skin.

_How will I continue to breathe, without you near?_

Tauriel pursed her lips and closed her eyes as she heard Kili's thoughts echo through her head yet again. Sadness welled up within her, nearly making her want to weep.

It was with great effort that they disentangled from each other. Tauriel dressed with some difficulty; as Kili was not helping matters…but Tauriel disappeared from his view any way, much to his dismay, out the tent into the low light before the sunrise. He stared up into the roof of the tent in her absence, an emptiness taking hold. He curled into a ball, pulling the wool blanket around him, an edge of it under his head like a pillow. He inhaled, sensing her scent as she left it there, and his heart ached anew.

Circumstances as they were, the forbidden lovers knew one thing for certain; they would never know which time would be their last moments together. Every moment was stolen, hard fought… and precious.

* * *

><p>It was a good thing Tauriel left when she did, because the elf called Oreyon returned shortly after daybreak to take Kili to see King Thranduil. On their way back to the King's quarters, the staunch soldier elf walked by his side, and looked at him with that curious expression.<p>

"You fight orks well, young dwarf." Oreyon said, his sharp, bright green eyes assessing Kili. "I am impressed by your skill with the bow." Kili looked up to the elf, letting his initial irritation at being called 'young' slide away from him. Of course he was young, to these creatures, Kili reminded himself; the elf walking next to him could be thousands of years old. Oreyon seemed to be a gentlemanly sort, and Tauriel held him in high regard; which was enough for Kili to show him respect.

"That is quite the complement from an elf." Kili replied, earnestly. This elf's features, even though relatively emotionless, seemed sincere when he nodded. "You're not so bad yourself…" Kili said, a little smirk on his face. Oreyon looked back at him, and Kili thought he could just barely perceive a slight smile. They walked along for a few more minutes in silence.

It was still morning but the sun was bright, highlighting the verdant green of the hills around them. Kili looked over towards the location of Laketown. The water in the lake was reflecting the blue sky, small pieces of ice floating like specks. The remains of Laketown looked out of place on the peaceful waters. All about them, the elves were breaking down and putting away tents with speed and efficiency. Away, over the billowing white canvases stretched the ragged remnants of the Laketown camp, the tents in various stages of breakdown. Most of the men were just starting to move about, as far as he could see.

"When speaking with the king, brevity is strongly advised." Oreyon said, in a low voice, as if telling Kili a secret. Kili nodded in agreement as they plodded along. "And it would be best to keep one's temper under control. King Thranduil is not tolerant of outbursts."

"Thanks for the warning. I will try not to get into a fight with his highness…"Kili said, with a chuckle. Oreyon stopped short and turned to him. His head tilted a bit to the side.

"I can appreciate your humor, dwarf. But the King, however, will not appreciate such levity." Oreyon said, eyes serious. Kili matched his serious expression.

"I am not making light of your suggestion." He said, with a look of confusion on his face. Oreyon simply turned and continued walking. Kili caught up in a few strides. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I can see that the captain has a…partiality for you." Oreyon said softly, as he turned to him again, right as they stopped before a grand tent. "I would hate to tell her something untoward has happened to her dwarf."

"Understood. I hope so too." Kili said, in reply.

Soon, after some pretenses with the guards, Kili stood alone in the middle of the most ornate tent he had ever seen. The off white material was tastefully hung and the structures holding up the tent looked gilded. All about him was the decedent evidence of an elf king fond of fineries and riches. Had Kili not known that this tent was only erected yesterday, he would have sworn this structure had been there for some time.

Kili smirked a little; the whole presentation smarted of someone who thought very highly of himself, one vain and boastful, things he had heard of about the elf king in between the curses his elders spoke. He looked around, holding his hands together behind him. Then he saw what could only be the King enter through another entryway behind the ornate chair before him.

Kili had to struggle to keep his face from revealing too much, but the elf king was quite stunning up close and in person. He did not think it could be possible, but the king was as attractive as Kili thought an elf could be without being a maid. His eyes were grey, piercing ice, stone cold and dark, even with their light color. Like his son, his brows were dark, and his hair long, that same pale blond, every strand aligned with the others, wafting around his head, a thin crown in exacting position. Every stich on his vestment was perfect.

Thranduil walked with an air of grace but also a heavy, menacing presence, one that immediately made Kili tense up and stand tall. This was not a man to show any weakness. It was enough to make Kili a bit ill to his stomach, but he stood still and looked him for as long as he could, as the great king walked around him, looking him up and down.

"The name is Kili." He said, in a low voice, looking away from the king.

"I am quite aware of who you are and from whence you came." Thranduil said, a bit taken aback that the young dwarf spoke first. Thranduil was a little annoyed, yet appreciated the little upstart's spunk. "Kili, of the House of Durin, third in line to the throne of the dwarf kingdom of Erebor." Kili put his arms behind him and looked up.

"So…why would the great Elf King Thranduil need to have an audience with a dwarf like me?" Kili said, a sedate, neutral expression on his face. Thranduil pulled his head back, standing tall.

"I needed some answers." Thranduil started, his voice low and regal, smooth and frigid. "First question: What kind of dwarf…allows himself to become a prisoner when he was not?"

Kili's eyes widened. That was quite the opening shot…

"Why do you think I was not?" Kili asked.

"Tauriel did not consider you her prisoner." Thranduil said, turning away from him. "You are not answering my question, dwarf. That does not bode well for our discussion." Kili looked down and thought hard about the answer. Keep all exchanges brief, and your temper in check, the elf Oreyon had warned him. He breathed in.

"I wanted no ill will for Tauriel from her king." Kili replied, in a low voice. The king glanced at him sidelong, his head then body turning to the side, in the most feline, flowing way Kili had seen any elf move thusfar. A single dark brow lifted.

"Why does a dwarf care about the fate of an elf?" he asked.

"That particular elf saved my life." Kili said. "A fact you would…disapprove of, I thought."

"Hmm." The regal elf said, pursing his lips in a way Kili felt was a bit patronizing. "Now, why would I have ill will towards her for saving your life?"

"Dwarves are your enemies." Kili answered matter of factly. "And I am a dwarf." Thranduil stopped walking, and turned his head slowly with a smirk on his face, one that puzzled Kili.

"You assume much…my feelings towards the actions of my Captain, and what I think of you, dwarf." Thranduil said, approaching Kili slowly, leaning forward, accentuating the differences in their heights. "That is unfair … and unwise." Thranduil stood back up right in front of him and tilted his head to the side, like a predator considering his prey. Kili had to tilt his head up to look him in the eye. He did so only as much as necessary.

"You imprisoned us the moment we came into your kingdom…what else was I to assume?" Kili asked. Thranduil floated away and leaned back on the table in front of Kili.

"Your recent incarceration in my dungeons had more to do with your uncle's insolence than my feelings about dwarves as a people."

"Well…what do you think of my people?" Kili asked.

This discussion was not going at all the way Thranduil expected. The young dwarf was questioning him. Despite that, the king was not displeased. Thranduil felt the young prince dwarf did have some of the fierceness and smugness of his uncle, but was more agreeable to discourse. His face was fair and slim with only a wisp of a beard so that his expressions were easy to read. Below the dark, straight hair was wide, open eyes, and an expression of true curiosity … he left Thranduil a bit bemused. He leaned back against the table behind him.

"I have fought on the same side against my true enemies with your people before… Kili." Thranduil started. "On occasion, we battled side by side. What I truly think of dwarves is…complex. " He said, looking over at Kili as he spoke. "You are of a proud, strong people, rich in culture and tradition. I have seen the boundless courage of dwarves, fearless in the face of great peril, persistent through overwhelming adversity, and fiercely loyal to death." Thranduil said.

"That sounds about right." Kili mumbled, with a slight smirk. Thranduil returned the smirk, standing up slowly, resuming his slow stroll around Kili.

"But along with such admirable traits, there are also certain tendencies that are quite…discouraging." Thranduil stated. Kili's brow raised up.

"Do tell…" Kili urged, with only a touch of sarcasm. Thranduil paused, yet continued.

"Along with a deep unwavering stubbornness, some dwarves have a brashness that invites trouble, an irritable temper and a distaste for seeing a situation from a point of view other than their own." He said, with a smug smirk. "Oh. And a great hunger for gold, one that consumes their very sensibilities." Thanduil sat back down on the table, crossing his arms. "Your kin hate vehemently, and hate for many years."

"There is usually no hatred without reason." Kili said, feeling the aforementioned stubbornness rising to his cheeks.

"Hatred can be for many reasons. But often times, the hatred lasts long after the importance of that which first inspired it fades into obscurity." Thranduil said. Kili knit his brows, letting an expression of confusion cross his face.

"Our peoples do have a rather … long history of discord." Kili said. "But… that does not always need to be thus." Kili said. "When facing a mutual enemy, we tend to join forces." Thranduil pursed his lips and turned his head a bit to the side.

"True words you speak." Thranduil uttered, turning away from Kili. A sly smile flittered briefly over Thranduil's lips. This dwarf may prove to be the reasonable sort after all. "Even though you are a dwarf, and an escaped prisoner, I wanted to talk with you before I made my opinion of you as an individual." Thranduil said, turning around with a florish. "Would you grant me the same courtesy?" Kili tilted his head down yet looked up at Thranduil.

"I believe that would be fair." Kili returned, eyes hard, regarding Thranduil quietly for a few moments. "I grew up hearing about the distance and arrogance of elves; their cold-hearted nature and duality. I heard that they thought so highly of themselves as to treat the rest of middle earth with distain. I was told they turn their back on their allies and are never to be trusted."

"So…is that what you think of elves?" Thranduil said, his blood starting to boil.

"Not exactly." Kili said. Thranduil was taken aback at his terseness.

"Do tell." Thranduil mirrored, with significantly more sarcasm.

"What I thought I knew of elves has been tested on this journey." Kili said, with a thoughtful, distant gaze. "I have traveled far with my uncle and my kin on a quest for the return of our homeland. In our escape from orks, we feasted at the tables of King Elrond, guests in his domain." Kili paused for a second, pursing his lips. "But , I have always been told of the bitterness and callousness of the wood elves in particular." He said, and then he looked down. "Yet, your son and your warriors saved us from the killer spiders in Mirkwood. And now…I have also seen that a wood elf can be kind, merciful, and generous beyond imagination." Kili said. _And beautiful, and passionate…_

"You eagerly gave up your freedom for that elf." Thranduil said.

"Aye. I did." Kili nodded, a quiet reticence emanating from him. It made Thranduil uneasy.

"Is that not foolish?"

"If I truly thought I would be in grave danger, I would not have." Kili responded.

"Explain." Thranduil said, coming before him, his long regal vestments spinning with him, soundless and floating then settling around him. Kili looked him in the eye.

"You had the chance to harm us before, yet you did not." Kili said. "Especially now, I know I am worth more to you alive and well than dead."

"Why do you say that?" Thranduil said, crossing his arms with an internal grin. Smart dwarf indeed.

"Thorin Oakenshield, the next King under the Mountain, has returned to Erebor and grave injustices have been inflicted upon Laketown by the ousted dragon, Smaug." Kili said, looking towards the remnant of Laketown, through the white canvas of the tent, then slyly back at Thranduil. "You all want something of the mountain and the dwarves within."

"True." The ancient elf said.

"Old quarrels buried in time have been exhumed, however." Kili said, crossing his arms.

"What do you know of these...quarrels?" Thranduil said, his face serious. Kili lifted a brow.

"My interpretation is this: petty squabbles over sparkling stones led to retribution and the loss of many lives."

"Does not gold and jewels interest you, dwarf?" Thranduil said, tone dripping with disbelief. Kili shook his head. "Then why did you go on this dangerous quest after all if not for the treasure of the mountain?" Kili looked hard into the king's eyes.

"I came to recapture the honor of my people, reclaim the home which was once ours, and to stand by my uncle and brother in solidarity. There are things more important to me than all the gold in Erebor." Kili said. They both grew quiet.

Thranduil stared silently at the young dwarf, his mind recalling those faiths once important to him as well; honor, dignity, courage, loved ones. On the one hand, he admired Kili's apparent optimism, the persistent hope of youth. On the other hand, Thranduil knew only too well the unforgiving lessons of time, and the quashing of those ideals by the years…

"Are you willing to hear another version of the story you have been told since you were a boy?" Thranduil asked.

"That would be fair." Kili said, as he solidified his stance, and uncrossed his arms. Thranduil walked back and forth, slowly, in front of Kili, who stared at him with a serious glare, and a darkness Thranduil did not think the cheeky dwarf could manage.

"Among the dwarves of Erebor are greatly skilled artisans, capable of marvelous, fine work. The beauty of their masterpieces with precious metal had no equal in middle earth. Therefore, I sent some of my most brilliant and precious gems from my treasure to Erebor, to be placed in a setting befitting of their splendor. The Erebor artisans did not disappoint; the pieces they created were exquisite." Thranduil said, closing his eyes, remembering the brilliance of his jewels, and the delicate intricate wirework weave in which they were placed. He had originally wanted to give those to his wife, but after her death, he just kept them as part of her memory. Kili knit his brows and waited until Thranduil continued.

"I knew your great grandfather, the great King Thror. Over the years, I saw him fall deeper and deeper into a goldlust, a madness of the mind. When I came to retrieve the pieces I had commissioned, having paid the price requested for his good people's work, the King increased what he asked upon viewing. But rather than start a clash, I simply left Erebor, and my jewels, in their settings, having lost my belief in the honor of dwarves, and my respect for the Dwarf King." Thranduil said, his eyes growing hot.

"And time went by and you did not forget that slight, did you? In the end, did you let hundreds of dwarves die in dragonfire because of a set of jewels?" Kili accused.

"You were not there. You are naïve if you think all that happened was that simple." Thranduil said, losing patience. "Now remember dwarf; Dale also fell prey to the dragon, even though it was not their treasure that drew the beast." Thranduil said, accusingly. Kili took a few deep breaths and closed his eyes, controlling his ire, knowing he should practice tact. He opened them and faced the King again.

"Then please, explain it to me. As a descendant of Erebor, I beg to know." Kili said, lowering the volume of his voice, mainly to illustrate the sadness and grief of his people, not just their bitterness. Thranduil's stony glare bore into him, yet he began explaining.

"Kili…son of Durin." he said, approaching to mere inches from the dwarf's face. "I for one, know of the heat of the dragon's breath, the destruction and the pain it inflicts." Thranduil let the damaged shadow of his face reveal itself to Kili, whose brows rose. "I did hear of the siege of Erebor, and even led my army to the hills that surrounded the lonely mountain…but whence I arrived, all we saw was but the tail of the dragon as it entered the mountain, and the destruction already inflicted on Dale." Thranduil said. The disappointment on the face of a young dwarf prince burned through from his memory, and lodged itself on the young dwarf before him. Kili shook his head.

"You ignored the pleas for help from a dying people." Kili whispered, breaking Thranduil's thought.

"They were already forsaken." Thranduil insisted. "Once a dragon has taken residence over a mountain of gold, there is little that might can do to wrench it from its new lair." Thranduil said, a little angered at the intrusion. "Erebor was already lost , lost under mountains of gold, collected madly by a King who had lost his senses. I had warned him of the dangers of his insatiable thirst for gold. But the gold lust of a dragon is greater, and his might no match for the defenses of Erebor. Or Dale." He growled. "Much of my army would have suffered the same fate...death, without accomplishing what they came to do, to free Erebor." Kili pursed his lips and breathed hard.

"And as a king who knew, you would not allow your soldiers to lose their immortal lives, perish for naught." Kili acquiesced.

"Correct." Thanduil said, leaning against the table, as if breathless from exertion.

"I still have to wonder about this, however. Why did you not help those who were now homeless?" Kili asked. This was the crux of the matter for him.

"Your great King would never, ever have put away his pride for a moment to allow his people to receive aid from the wood elves." Thranduil said. "We had become hated like no other. He would have rather they all died in the wilds." He continued, assuredly.

"You assume …what the exiled dwarf King would have done had you offered your assistance to his people, who were in such need…much like I assumed your actions." Kili growled. Thranduil turned away.

Kili looked down and breathed deeply, trying hard to control his anger at Thranduil at the moment. He closed his eyes and began speaking in a low voice. Kili was consumed with images of dying dwarves. His people. His kin.

"My mother…she was just 10 years on this earth when the dragon burned all she knew, many she loved, and she was left homeless. A child…knows little of the pride of kings…all she knew of was the sadness of loss in her heart, the ache of hunger in her belly, and the chill of the cold in her bones. That is what she remembers. " Kili said, opening his eyes and glaring up at Thranduil. "You did not even try to help…"

Thranduil answered with silence.

"Now I stand here, in the shadows of the lonely mountain and gaze upon what you have done for the people of Laketown, and it fills me with wonder…yet anger. Why is it that you come with legions to 'help' these people, yet not even an ounce of your effort, not any assistance from the woodland realm was given to the exiles of Erebor?"

Thranduil turned around quickly, whipping his cape around, eyes wide with frustration and ire.

"I learned hard lessons from the mistakes of the past, dwarf. What happened to your people after their disaster, I could not undo. I could change the fate of these people, however, this time. I would not see such a tragedy repeat itself, if I could help it." Kili pursed his lips.

There is a certain amount of boldness that is inherent in dwarves, for better or worse. It helps them fight against impossible odds, and win battles they have no business winning…Kili now glared up at the king, that boldness bubbling up within him.

"You stand here before me and all I can hear are excuses, and half-truths. You proclaim that you are here, on the edge of Laketown, just to help a fallen people out of the goodness of your heart. I am not so naïve to think that the situation is that simple." Kili spat. Thranduil stiffened up a bit and glared right back at Kili. "You have other motives that lead you to Erebor..."

"One thing we are both not, is foolish, dwarf." Thranduil rebuked. "We both know there is much that has happened, but now, there is even more at stake. More than you can even imagine." Thranduil said, looking away, crossly. Kili shook his head slowly, distain dripping from his eyes, a resentment from deep in his gullet flowing towards the elf king.

"All that I was told about you by my kin, the many names they called you. Now I can see that…they were wrong." Kili said, rage seething within. "You…you…are much worse."

Thranduil had just about enough of this rude dwarf and his accusations. He stood up tall and glanced at Kili with that uncaring, stony gaze.

"You are all the same. And you will never, ever change. I see we have allowed you to become too comfortable under our care, dwarf. " Thranduil said. "Guards!"

* * *

><p>Some time later, Kili found himself thrown into the back corner of a covered wagon, a true prisoner once again. Back in the Kings tent, the elf Oreyon glared at him with pursed lips, shook his head and bound his wrists loosely, the bindings easy to remove once Kili was alone. And for once, that was what Kili wanted to be; alone. The movement of the wheels beneath him, and the tossing of the wagon over rough terrain for several hours was the only thing that assured him that the Elves and Lakemen were moving closer to Dale, and to Erebor. How he would eventually get to the halls of his ancestors was now a mystery to Kili.<p>

The fire of anger had a chance to extinguish itself from him, and all Kili was left with was the heavy feeling that what had happened with Thranduil had left a permanent shadow on their lives. He could have acted differently. He had hoped for something more; the possibility of creating in a world which he and Tauriel could even just see each other. That was now ruined. He dropped his head into his hands with anguish. All he could see now, in his mind's eye, was the disappointment and shock on the face of _his_ elf in the background as she looked on while he was led from the King's tent into captivity.

"I am sorry, Tauriel." Kili lamented, whispering quietly. "I failed you..."


	24. Chapter 24

**Author's Note**

**Alright, alright. It was my intention to finish this beast before the Five Armies came out but that was just not possible for me. Already the premier has happened and there are too many trailers and quotes and clips available online. I decided that I will continue on with my tale, however AU the storyline, at my pace because I don't want to put out something incomplete and rushed. Yeah yeah, I know too much already. Some stuff was surprisingly similar to my own vision, some not.**

**I am worried, however, that if I do see BFA, that I will be compelled to abandon so much of what I have already worked on to be canon to BFA movieverse. I guess the movie, for me, will just have to wait a while so I can finish a few important storylines. (Uhhhh…What?) Don't know how long I will be able to resist seeing the entire movie…**

**But….I promise I will work hard to make this story something worth reading for me and you. It will end up a combination of my own vision and PJ's masterpiece. **

**To my beloved reviewers: Lexielewie, Pass the Porn, Moonpetals16, Amber85, Anddante, Cynnx, Vi-violence, Jinxwriter, Jampaqued, Eclaire stones, Wizardxp, Gaaralove 4-ever, Heron of Sparta, Jub jub and guests. Glad you all liked the interaction between Kili and Thranduil…stubborn men remain stubborn. But they were both right. I will continue to try and make this a work I can be proud of, and one that you will enjoy. ****Nuff said.**

**Happy Holidays and Enjoy this installment.**

**AW**

**...**

* * *

><p>Bilbo stood on the top of the large stone crown one morning, staring as he did so very often these past days towards the lake where the dragon had unleashed his fury. Nori, the dwarf rumored an actual thief, unlike he, found the hidden passageway up the inside of the rock that led out to this perch the same night Fili and the other dwarves had made it to Erebor. Most of them stood there watching Laketown smoldering that night, dumfounded, hearts heavy, confused, staring as the low, orange flames ate away at the town, lighting up the lake, the plume of smoke rising into the night. All the dwarves tried to not seem devastated, but he could tell they were, especially Balin, who struggled not to show tears. Thorin was the first to leave the terrace slowly, in heavy silence. They knew that, eventually, the men of the Lake would come to the lonely mountain to check on the state of the dwarves that herein hid.<p>

Bilbo went up here every day since then, to stare southward and contemplate his fate, and the decisions he had made during the journey, especially the decision to join these dwarves with their quest, and remain with them, time and time again. He was joined by less and less dwarves each day, his industrious companions distracting themselves with shoring up their defenses and the chores that abounded to make a once dead Erebor liveable. They found the internal spring with potable water, where they now washed and drank their fill. The only thing Bilbo felt was becoming intolerable was the godforsaken cram they had to force themselves to eat to stay alive, and there was way too much of that left, despite Bombur's appetite.

Bilbo looked over to the space left empty by the remaining being that joined him oftentimes; Fili, who would stand there, looking forlorn towards the Lake. Bilbo would glance at him, saddened, knowing Fili's sharp vision was focused on finding one thing, endlessly searching for the image of his beloved brother approaching Erebor, however unlikely, from out of the burnt remains of a devastated town. The once jovial, light hearted but brave young dwarf had lost his smile. Fili was not here this morning, beckoned by his uncle early to visit the deep caverns of Erebor. But Bilbo liked it best like this, when it was quiet and he was alone. He looked out towards the west, because far, far west was his little shire home, calling him…

This large carven stone he stood upon, reportedly made to look like one of the kings of old, was the highest part of the lonely mountain the dwarves had access to. The mountain itself rose up from the earth, with five arms of ridges that pointed away from its base like an irregular star. To the direct south, beyond the serpentine rocky river path and the flat barren spaces before Erebor was the ruins of Dale. To the west just a bit, further on, was the winding river valley path to the Long Lake. On the far side, on the top of one of the higher foothills of the mountain was Raven Hill, a crumbling dwarf fortress outpost, where the only other living beings in this stark, dreary land came from often to visit the dwarves of Erebor. From this perch, the few remaining ravens flew back and forth to the distant forest, sometimes bringing news, sometimes some fruits or berries or nuts from the forest. The view from this windy parapet was astounding; it was as if all of middle earth was laid out for your eyes only, the thin blustery air whipping around you on evenings and morn, still in the afternoon and the dead of night.

But this morning, the view to the long lake looked a bit …different. Bilbo squinted and used his hand to shield them from the sun. Yes, unmistakably, there were little people and wagons and horses like ants marching across the pale green hills that gave way slowly to the vast grey desolation surrounding the lonely mountain. Bilbo continued to look on, dumfounded. The Lakemen were coming towards the lonely mountain!

"T-t-thorin…" Bilbo swallowed. "I have to tell Thorin…the Lakemen are coming, they are coming here." Bilbo muttered to himself. He nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of flapping wings.

"Actually, they go to Dale, Halfling." The large winged beast, Roac squawked at him as he landed on the rock nearby. Bilbo looked over at it rather crossly. The bird did that just to make him squirm, he was sure. "But you are right. They will most assuredly venture eventually to Erebor's front door."

"As they should…I suppose." Bilbo thought, sadly. He pursed his lips and thought of the kindness of Bards children, and the cute young girl who called him a dwarf. "They have lost it all."

"They are joined by the elves of the woodland realm, King Thranduil himself in attendance." Roac squawked. Bilbo's face erupted in shock.

"Are you certain?" Bilbo questioned.

"I know what my eyes see. He is the only elf thinks himself grand enough to ride the great elk." Roac continued. Bilbo looked hard at the entourage he had seen before, and now he saw it. Beyond them…banners, and neat rows and rows of…Elves!

"Well, I'll be…" Bilbo exclaimed.

"And in their midst is a dark haired young dwarf." Roac said. Bilbo looked up at him with surprise.

"My stars, Kili is with them?" Bilbo said, a smile coming to his face. "Now, that is good news! Fili will be thrilled! How is he?"

"The dwarf is alive and well enough to cause a fuss. He is a prisoner of the elves now." Roac said, as Bilbo's happiness dissolved.

"Oh, dear." Bilbo lamented. Fili would not be happy to hear that.

"Indeed. The Elf King's proximity to the mountain, with so many soldiers at his side does not bode well for the dwarves of Erebor…" Roac sqeaked. "Here, they are few in number and ill prepared."

"I would say that means trouble of a great sort…" Bilbo said, his face changing to worry.

"If you do not inform the King under the mountain of this news, I will." Roac said. Bilbo looked back at the bird.

"No, no…that's alright, I will." Bilbo said, nervously reaching into his coat pocket to finger the little gold band, as he so often did when worried. "Finally, I have something else to talk to Thorin about other than that bloody jewel." The bird's obsidian eye blinked at him. Roac missed little…

"The stone is a powerful enchantress itself, and for that you must beware. Yet you carry heavy treasures with you, halfling." The bird said, in a low gravely tone, as it launched itself off the precipice. Bilbo looked on as the bird soared away, his head pounding with worry and his pockets laden with lead.

* * *

><p>Bard walked towards Thranduil's tent that morning early, to inform him that the Lakemen were heading out. He also wanted to find out if Thranduil had talked with the young dwarf, and what had come of that conversation. Bard was shocked to find most of the elven camp already well on its way to packed. When nearing the center of the camp, Bard stopped short as he saw Kili being led, bound, from the King's tent, in a rather angry state. Bard's heart sank…<p>

"Oh no…" He muttered. "There goes our chance at gaining an ally in Erebor…"

Bard nearly jumped when he heard Legolas behind him. He did not even hear him nearing.

"They will never willingly be our allies." Legolas insisted. His look softened as he glanced at Tauriel, who was standing some distance away.

Tauriel's expression was one of sad, disappointed shock as she looked on at Kili being led away. Both Bard and Legolas saw what transpired next. Kili then looked over at Tauriel, and his struggling ceased. She then steeled her expression, glanced briefly at those around her, and then turned and stole away from them all, toward the forest. Bard looked back at Legolas, and saw that the prince's expression changed momentarily to disapproval, then upset. Bard blinked, confused about the strange show between the players before him. He shook his head. He did not care of this perplexity, but of the greater question looming in his mind.

"As friend to friend; as you say you are to me," Bard said, looking intently at Legolas. Legolas looked back at him, his youthful, fine regal features set with concern and attention. "Why is it, really, that the elves of the Woodland Realm accompany us to Dale?" Bard said, in a low voice. Legolas pursed his lips.

"With the winged beast dead, no longer guarding Erebor…" he started, choosing his words carefully "Others will now look to the mountain for its wealth, its position." Legolas said to Bard, with sincerity. "Others who will care little of the lives of the men who now wish to resettle Dale." Bard's shoulder's dropped, his face becoming stark with worry.

"What further dangers must we face?" He asked. Legolas shook his head.

"A series of events has been set into motion. Dale is a better place for shelter …and defense. We must simply try to weather the storm there." Legolas said. Bard, now very disturbed, looked to the wagon that Kili had been thrown into.

"I still would like to have a few words with him." Bard said, looking back at Legolas, who looked a little annoyed.

"As you wish, Bard, but do not worry about the dwarf. We will get the little rude imp to Erebor. Alive." Legolas said, arms crossed.

* * *

><p>Even though the wagon he was imprisoned in was not particularly drafty, Kili could feel the air getting colder and lighter, the further they went north, up and out of the valley into the mountains. He was wearing little to help him stay warm, so he started to rummage through the boxes before him. He found a tunic, a bit long, but wearable. He pulled at the fabric of the tent, but its edges were pressed into the base of the wagon; nowhere could he find any flaw or break in the fabric; and the stitching between the sheets of fabric were twice as secure. He did not even have anything sharp to try and cut the fabric. Kili eventually plopped down in frustration.<p>

Kili was getting more and more angered with this solitary confinement, as the wagon finally stopped to rest. He heard people milling about outside the wagon so he quickly slipped on the rope ties that had previously bound his hands. During this break on the trip to Dale, however, Kili was allowed a rather unusual visitor.

After a few words at the aft portion, the front of the wagon opened up, letting in light that temporarily blinded Kili. Bard was allowed into the wagon. One elf guard stayed by the now open mouth of the wagon, as Kili looked up at the rather tall bowman, who had to bend over to maneuver himself within the wagon. Bard had his customary worried look on his handsome face, his lips pursed in disapproval. He pulled a small box towards him, and sat down in front of Kili. Kili looked up at him, brows knit with curiosity.

"I don't think you would remember me, dwarf." Bard said.

"But I do. However, I don't believe I ever thanked you for your help, back in Laketown." Kili started. "But, as you see, my lot has not changed much."

"At least you no longer look like you have but hours to live." Bard offered.

"But that may yet be the case." Kili said, motioning with his head towards the open front of the wagon.

"They have no such agenda, I believe." Bard said, looking at the guard, who did not even give them a glance. "You were not supposed to be restrained and imprisoned further…" Bard said softly, looking at Kili's bindings.

"Things do not always happen as planned." Kili said, working his way out of the ropes around his hands. Bard's eyebrow raised, yet he made no effort to inform the guard. Bard looked back at Kili.

"I was hoping to talk to you about all that has happened."

"Laketown was destroyed by the dragon as you warned." Kili said, looking down. Bard leaned forward, bringing his voice down to just a whisper.

"These survivors need help from the King under the mountain…" Bard started. "He promised he would share the wealth of his kingdom. Now, we need him to." He insisted.

"Fair compensation is not too much to ask." Kili acquiesced as he nodded at him. Bard stopped, seeing he needed to go no further to convince the young dwarf of their position.

"I am glad we can agree on that." Bard said.

"Dwarves have nothing against the men of the Lake. With your traveling companions, however, there is much history." Kili said, his face serious. Bard pursed his lips.

"My main concern is for the welfare of my family and my people." He said, putting his hand on his chest. "I know nothing of your ancient animosity with the elves."

"Not all elves…" Kili said, almost to himself. Kili looked out of the door, a sad, faraway look on his face. Bard knit his brows.

"I do know one thing. The King under the mountain, if he still lives, may not be as agreeable as you." Bard insisted. Kili looked back at him, face serious.

"Understood. I will speak on it with my uncle once I am to Erebor." Kili said, holding up his hands. "But…there is nothing I can do from here." Bard put his lips together tight and nodded.

"I will do what I can to secure your safe return to the mountain." Bard said. The elf at the entrance of the wagon grunted, signifying it was time to end this meeting. Bard took his leave and then again, Kili was alone.

…...

* * *

><p>Tauriel felt her heart ache and her patience wane when she saw Thranduil's guards lead Kili, bound and struggling, into captivity. Kili had seen her just then, and she could practically see the regret instantly well up in his eyes. As the whole scene moved as if suspended in time, Tauriel turned around, and walked swiftly away from the scene, eyes hot with anger, her head spinning with disbelief. This precise circumstance was what she had been worried about.<p>

Tauriel walked into the forest nearby and finally leaned heavily on a tree in her path. She breathed deeply, with despair. She was upset that Kili could not even for a second put away his animosity towards Thranduil; or any elves but her, for that matter. It just made it more difficult for her, for the two of them. She sat down, in a frustrated heap in the forest muttering under her breath. She recounted how he looked among the other elves; his rough appearance and distressed clothing around the impeccably perfect elves surrounding him. He was short and hairy and dirty and temperamental. Why should she care about him?

Their romantic involvement was difficult for her, and that fact kept reinforcing itself again and again… how could that be, in so short a time, that her life was turned upside down by a rogue who barreled into her ordered, regimented life?

Yet Tauriel could not convince her heart to make another choice. Tauriel covered her face and sighed.

Tauriel could not understand why she felt the way she did about Kili from the moment she first saw him, she just knew she did. He made her smile. He made her laugh. He needed her…He made her feel like the most important, most beautiful elf in middle earth. She enjoyed the way he touched her, kissed her…the way everything he did just showed her that he loved her. She loved his voice and his laugh and his stories and his cooking…even his wayward hair and gently bearded chin. But most of all, she adored the way his face lit up when he looked at her, the sparkle in his eyes, the way he sighed and held her body close when they lay together. Her heart ached…

Tauriel smirked a little, as he looked down to her hands, clasped in her lap, shaking her head. That was it…she loved so much about Kili…that maybe...just maybe… That thought alone both warmed and terrified her. She stood up and dusted herself off, knowing immediately what she needed to do.

Save her dwarf lover, yet again.

* * *

><p>...<p>

Kili sat back, waiting for the wagon to move again after his meeting with Bard. Suddenly, a long, ornate knife burst through the white material of the wagon, between the staves, just above where he was sitting. He jumped away, but did not yell out, crouching down as the knife cut through the thick material, down to the wooden edge of the wagon. Kili held his breath as the knife retracted, and all was silent. From the break in the fabric, light streamed in. He looked towards the entrance of the wagon. No guard entered. Kili approached the rent in the fabric slowly, not knowing what lay beyond. The slice was long enough for him to slip through with ease, he surmised. He approached it slowly, and gingerly put his hand up to pull the torn fabric aside.

In a flash, a hand struck through the hole in the fabric and grabbed hold of his shirt beneath his chin. Kili was hauled out of the wagon by a strong, long arm. He closed his eyes as the bright sun blinded him and he was slammed onto the ground, the breath knocked out of him…his head was spinning.

"Do not utter a sound unless you want to die, dwarf." A low, guttural voice whispered. Kili gasped and barely had a chance to breathe when his body was lifted and thrown into a darkened place. As he rolled down a hill, he sensed dirt and branches, dead leaves.

Kili got up on all fours, shook off his disorientation, and only got a glance of a tall, lithe form before he was pushed over and knee driven into his chest, a knife shoved under his chin. Kili blinked until the fierce face before him came into full clarity….Kili gasped, and could not believe who his assailant was…

The elf prince, Legolas, was crouched over him, his intense eyes searching all about. The arm on his chest attached to the sharp knife felt like iron, and in an instant, Kili felt a panic rise in his gut. Legolas looked down at him, muted anger in his hard blue eyes.

"Can you walk, dwarf?" he growled. Kili nodded. In a swift move, Legolas stood up. Kili gasped as he gazed at him. Legolas was broader than his father, his shoulders wide, his face a bit more rugged. He wore a dark brown vestment that fit him close. "Up. Now." He ordered.

In his shock, Kili complied, and walked the direction the regal dwarf directed. Kili rapidly scrambled through the brush, and up and down a hill with scrub brush, the blonde haired elf steps behind him, whenever he looked back. The elf urged him on silently, with menacing stares and silent direction.

Once Kili had regained his senses enough, he stopped, and turned around. Legolas stopped as well, dagger brandished.

"You have dragged me into the woods enough. Just kill me now if you must." Kili said, looking at the angry elf. Legolas blinked, and looked at his ornate dagger curiously, with a snarl like smile

"If I wanted to kill you I would have already." He said, in a low voice. Then he sheathed his dagger. Kili shook his head, confused.

"Then why did you bring me here?" Kili asked, his voice low.

"You wish to get to Erebor, do you not?" Legolas asked. His eyes rose above Kili. "Well…there it is." Kili spun around, and drew a deep breath, the Lonely mountain looming before him large, leagues closer than when he had seen it last. He looked back at Legolas, incredulous. He swallowed hard, and looked around the forest behind Legolas. Kili could swear he felt her presence…

"You look for your friend. She is not here." Legolas growled, his voice low. Kili looked over at Legolas with confusion. The prince responded with anger. "Not this time, imp."

"Why do you help me if you cannot stand the fact that I breathe?" Kili asked, glaring at his emancipator. Legolas looked back at him, a hard expression on his face.

"I helped you escape so she would not." He muttered, bounding quickly up a boulder, looking about. He bounded off the boulder just as lightly, landing before a befuddled Kili.

"I suppose you think I should thank you…" Kili growled, rubbing his head where the elf had slammed him into the ground. Legolas whipped around, anger on his face and strode up to Kili, practically pushing him over.

"Do not thank me, dwarf. I do this for her, not you." Legolas said. "You have caused her enough trouble already." Kili was flabbergasted.

"Now hold on, elf…I never would wish trouble upon Tauriel…" Kili stammered, heat rising to his cheeks.

"She risked everything to help you." Legolas spat, his condemning eyes a foot away. "You are the most dangerous thing ever to come into her life and the sooner you are out of it, the better." He spat, his hard finger pressing into Kili's chest. "You will cause her nothing but pain and anguish."

Kili's angry glare melted away, and he stumbled back, the prince's words hitting him like a blow to the chest. His eyes grew sad, and his shoulders hunched. The ache in Kili's heart bloomed and he looked down, gasping as if in pain. It was what he had dreaded...he was no good for Tauriel. Even the elf prince could see that. Kili fell back against a tree, leaning on it as if he needed it to stay upright.

Legolas looked on at the transformation as the young dwarf visibly descended into despair, a wisp of wondering concern squeezing through his anger.

"I never, ever want her to be hurt because of me." Kili uttered, his voice laden with regret. Legolas crossed his arms. Kili breathed a few times and looked up at Legolas, his eyes full. "You…you are the prince. Can't you help?" he asked weakly.

"I do what I can." Legolas said. Kili looked away and nodded. "You should go now." He said. Kili looked up at the mountain, and Legolas saw the dwarf sigh; a painful, slow sigh. Legolas almost felt sorry for him…almost.

"Aye, I should." Kili said, softly. He breathed slowly and took a few slow steps before turning around to face Legolas again. "Please…look after her." Kili said, looking intently into the blonde elf's eyes, voice almost cracking. He winced slightly, the pain of asking the prince to take care of the elf he loved with all his heart nearly breaking him.

"I will." Legolas managed to utter, humbled by what he was seeing

"To you, I may be the worst thing to happen to her, but I know this…Tauriel is the best thing that will ever happen to me." Kili said insistently, hand over his heart.

Legolas felt a cold chill go through him. He could not bring himself to glare harshly at the saddened dwarf, and could only watch bewildered as the dwarf walked away, noisily through the underbrush. It became blatantly obvious to Legolas in those few seconds how deeply this dwarf felt for Tauriel. He could practically feel it. And it made him feel powerless, for the second time in his life.

Yet Legolas knew this was what he needed to do, however, for them all.


	25. Chapter 25

**Authors Note:**

**Alright, I saw it. The Battle of the Five Armies. And now my soul is quite heavy…but I knew that would happen. My Kiliel heart is badly broken, and dissatisfied. But it was good that I did see it, because it made me come back home and start writing furiously, through tears. OK, I really just have to rant a bit. I will post my mini-review at the end of the chapter here, so you don't have to wade through it before the chapter. **

**RIP BoFA Kili, Fili, Thorin… I will be using all of the lines from the movie appropriate for my fic (because there are so %$# few of them); just maybe not in the scenes they were shown…**

**I walked out muttering under my breath….I LOVE my story so much BETTER! So I rushed home and to numb the pain, read LMTF, intro to the Epilogue (yes I had it written already, and chap 25 is not it…). **

**Mr. Jackson, you started this heartbreaking story arc… ****You will forgive me if I finish it…**

**To my reviewers: Thank you so much for your words of encouragement! Cynn3Rose, noir Ecrivain, pass the porn tea, Vi-violence, moonlightkiss1515, Margaritasc, wizardxp, amber85, Tuounra, Soonerwxgirl, Jampaqued, Jinxwriter, Gaaralove4-ever, Haku'slover18, underneaththisskin, sparkle85, Eclaire stones, LadyBardock, mfaerie32, k215y, Syblime…Luv you guys!**

**Enjoy.**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Thorin walked heavily along the stone walkway, in the halls of Erebor. His footsteps echoed as he gazed at the golden light shimmering througout the cavern, the golden light shining off the gold treasure now lit by many sconces on the walls. His long, royal vestment, deep blue in hue and rimmed by sparkling detail hung from his shoulders, and wafted around his feet. He decided to forgo the crown this day. His silken, glistening dark flowing hair spread around is shoulders, the silvery strands woven in between glistening in the low light. He was walking away from his throne, the one he now often sat on heavily. He had been around the heaps of gold for too long, looking on menacingly as the rest of the dwarves halfheartedly looked for the Arkenstone around him. Their growing indifference angered him…<p>

_Our gold. MY GOLD… I will not part with nary a piece of it for anyone or anything…_

A voice, his own, yet not his own, wandered through his mind, as an uninvited shadow.

_They have taken the heart of the mountain as their own…I know it; one of them… they betray me…_ the voice continued, tormenting him. As he walked further away from the caverns, he again became aware of the little object he had in his grasp. He raised it slowly and his pale blue eyes, bloodshot from lack of sleep, stared at it.

It was a little rag doll, the kind with curly yarn for hair, and a face carefully, intricately stitched with red lips, large eyes and long eyelashes. The ivory fabric skin was yellowed, streaked with charcoal and age, and the small, splendid vestments carefully placed on the doll were now stained by grime. Thorin shook, all over, and a lightness of mind came over him. He gently, sweetly stroked the little doll's hair and straightened her dress.

"Oh, Dis…" he whispered, as a mist drifted over his eyes, and a sad smile found its way on his face. He veiled his eyes in memory, leaning back on the cold stone that made up the columns.

Thorin saw himself striding proudly through the doors of Erebor in a happier era, greeted heartily by those surrounding but looking for someone special…. She was the reason he would rush home whenever he went away from Erebor.

"Thorin! Thorin!" her sweet little voice echoed in the darkness of the halls of their kingdom, their home, his vision darkened because his eyes were not yet used to it, after traveling in the light of day. Then he would see her…sunshine itself…head full of curly, yellow blonde locks, the round face with the big, hazel eyes and a wide mouth that would only laugh and utter the sweetest of greetings. "Brother mine, I missed you so! You were gone too long this time!" she said as she ran into his arms. Thorin lifted her up, holding her sturdy young frame against him as her little arms wound around his neck and her butterfly lips showered his cheeks. Thorin smiled at his little sister, who was then a mere 10 years on middle earth.

"Dis, my dear. How have you been?" He said, a happy, true smile on his face. She looked at him with wide eyes and excited expectation. He gave her a sly look."Ahh…have you been good?"

"Oh yes! I even beat Ferin yesterday in shooting targets." She said, smiling self-assuredly. Thorin gave a feigned look of shock.

"Really, you did!" he said. "You are getting quite good at that."

"I will be the best archer in Erebor! You will see!" She exclaimed. "Well Thorin…do you have something for me?" She said craftily. "Come on, don't make me beg…" Thorin laughed gently and put down his little sister lightly on her toes. She clasped her hands eagerly. Thorin made a conjuror's display while handing her a small wooden box.

Wherever Thorin travelled while the emissary of his father and grandfather, no matter how short or long the trip, he would be sure to bring home a little trinket for Dis. As was their custom, she was not allowed out much beyond the walls of the kingdom, so she would collect his treasures and sit on his lap as he told her fanciful tales of his journeys.

The Thorin of today, standing alone in a deserted kingdom, gasped sadly as the memory played on.

That time, so long ago the trinket in the box he gave Dis that day was a beautiful little golden dragon, with eyes of emerald, and scales of citrine, wings of clear quartz. The teeth and claws were black, and he was wound around a glimmering golden moonstone. Dis's eyes widened as she examined her gift.

"Oh…It is beautiful, Thorin…But frightening too…" Dis said, touching the delicate wings. She looked up at him, adoration and reverence in her gaze. He practically felt the kiss…

Had he known what was to pass he would have never given her that…Thorin shuddered as another vision entered his head; one darker and sadder.

It was black night and bitter cold as the survivors all gathered at the top of the heavily damaged fortress of Ravenhill. It was a good enough view to see the desolation spread before them. Dale was in flames. He was holding a shocked, shaking little Dis in his arms, as they stared at the fires erupting from the mouth of Erebor. He tried in vain to cover her eyes and ears, to shut out the screams of their people as Smaug ravaged Erebor that night, but her innocent eyes saw it, and her sweet young ears heard it. She stared, unblinking, the visage of shock etched on her face, which was coated in dark ash streaked in tears that revealed her white skin.

"Thorin…Thorin…they are gone…they are all gone." Little Dis lamented. Then she looked up at him with that expression that broke his heart. "Are we going to die too, Thorin?" she asked.

"No, Dis." He said, holding her against him, his voice hoarse and cracking with grief. He looked towards his father, grandfather and brother, who too were wracked with despair, and unable to take care of the little girl in their midst. Thorin held her close, smoothed her coal streaked golden tresses and kissed her as she clung to him desperately. "No…you will not die, not while I still draw breath, love. I will take you away from here, and protect you, Dis, always." he promised solemnly.

Then her face changed in his mind, to the Dis he knew just a year ago…a serious, stalwart, strong female dwarf, face etched with the strain of a life lived hard, with too much sadness. Gone was that sweet, innocent child, the sister he once knew. She was then a grown dwarf, one who defied all her male kin, and ran off on her own when they lived in the world of men, to prove that she would make her own way. She returned, grief stricken, with two little boys in tow. Those two boys, whose father he never knew, he became like a father to.

They were speaking serious words in the kitchen of the hovel they called home that night, in the quiet, stark mining hills of Erid Luin. Her eyes, the hazel orbs reddened, glared at him.

"Must you take them both from me, Thorin?" She lamented, her eyes grief stricken. "Fili, my firstborn love, I know, he must go. It is his birthright you hope to recapture. But my Kili too?" she said, hand over her heart. "You will break me…"

"I hope to recapture Erebor for us all, Dis…" Thorin said, the brooding darkness upon him. The feeling of injustice ever present in his craw since the time he saw his grandfather beheaded on the field of battle, and his father wander off broken with madness, welled up. Did she not see? He stood up and poured himself a glass of something strong. "Besides…I cannot take but one on this quest. The elder will not be without the younger. They are two parts of a whole. That is how you raised them, Dis." He sat down before her. She bent her head forward.

"Aye. That I did." She whispered bitterly. "Much good it has done me…"

"You taught them well, sister. They are now warriors befitting of the Durin line." He said, pride in his words, his hand in a fist. She looked up at him.

"The blood of their forefathers flows strong in their veins." She said. "As is their headstrong nature…and recklessness…" She said, a sob in her throat.

"And their unending skill and courage, Dis." Thorin urged. "They are fierce, accomplished fighters. The best fighters of my company, save Dwalin. They will stand faithfully by each other, defend each other to the end, and each will be safer that way, I know it."

"I can't allow it." She said, folding her arms. Thorin sat back, unable to become angry with his baby sister; not about this. A few minutes of silence passed between them.

"Dis…they want to go, desperately." Thorin said quietly. "They are old enough that you cannot stop them." Dis looked up at him, and in her eyes he could tell…she was defeated.

"Try as you may to convince me, brother, I still feel this is a fool's errand." She said. "A troop of dwarves against a dragon…Is this treasure worth your life?" She glared at him. "Is it really worth the lives of my sons? You three are all I have left."

"Yes, it is worth it…we need to reclaim our fatherland, Dis. I think you know this, in your heart." Thorin insisted. "Think of what we stand to gain…I long to see you at the hearth of our home once again, my sister…"

"I love you and trust you with all that remains of my heart, Thorin." She said, through frustrated tears. "But these boys are my life…You best bring them back to me safe and sound, Thorin. Or don't come back yourself." Dis said, standing up, storming off.

Thorin drank down the fiery liquid in one draught, the burning spreading past his chest to his belly. Maybe it was too much to ask of her. She had been through so much. He looked up towards the door to the living room, where Fili and Kili had come to, beckoned by their mother's harsh tones. Thorin knew they wanted their mother's blessing on this quest. They stood silently in wait, faces serious. Both sets of eyes clung to his. Thorin looked back at the two sturdy young men, in full regalia, axes slung all over the lighter haired one, bow and sword on the dark. His beloved sister-sons…

Thorin let Dis cool off a little in the frigid night air before he walked up to her slowly. Her golden locks tumbled from her head, over her dark purple frock. She looked forlorn in the pale moonlight, her face turned towards the large orb in the sky. The vision of her that night, the one he remembered most vividly, made him draw breath. She looked over to him, sadness and resolve on her face.

"Go on, Sons of Durin, on with your quest. I hope you find what you seek, Thorin. But I hope you eventually realize what true treasure is." Dis sighed.

His sister's words rung in his ears, as he blinked his eyes and came to the present, his gaze set back on the little doll in his hands.

"Uncle? Uncle!" The voice of Fili echoed in the blustery caverns.

"Here!" Thorin said, turning around, wiping his eyes to face his eldest nephew. Fili was on one of the higher walkways, and ambled down the stone steps quickly to join him. Thorin sighed; Fili looked so out of place without his brother behind him…

"You sent for me?" he said, nearing Thorin slowly. Fili approached him with a look of caution, a wrinkle between his brows. Fili had grown used to his uncle's harsh, wide eyed stares, and his screaming for them to keep searching, keep searching, for that godforsaken stone…But he seemed so different now. Back to the dwarf he knew and loved; Thorin's eyes were soft…

"Fili…" Thorin said, his eyes blinking. "Come…I want to show you something." Fili came in close. Thorin handed him the little doll.

"What? What is this?" He said, looking at the doll, and then looking back up at his uncle, his face confused.

"That…was your mother's…" Thorin said, a small smile on his regal face. Fili looked down at the little, old toy as his face changed over to surprise. He shook his head.

"My mother…Dis…played with dolls?" Fili said, incredulously, a small smile on his face, nearly breaking into laughter. A doll in the hands of his stern, steadfast mother just seemed so…strange. Thorin chuckled.

"Come." Thorin said, walking ahead of Fili, down the stone corridors. Fili followed, questions burning his chest, but eager, happy to indulge his uncle in any way, to maintain this feeling of lightness. Anything to get Thorin away from the hoard room.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"We are in the royal living quarters," Thorin said waving his hand around, as they entered a grand hall, Fili spun around, looking up at the long, ornate table, the grand, elaborate wrought iron chandelier. He gasped and smiled, then hurried to follow his uncle. They entered a room, small and cozy, a small fireplace on one wall, with a small bed in the corner, rich tapestries hung on the rails. A large chair with a footstool before it was tucked near the fireplace and shelves lined the walls. A small dresser with a mirror stood against the wall; child-sized, petite.

"Oh my gods…" Fili whispered. He walked slowly up to the shelves where there were lines upon lines of little statues…of fairies and sprites, animals and birds… this was a girl's room.

"This is your mother's old room." Thorin said, turning around, looking all about with softness in his gaze. Fili gasped. "Many a night I spent here telling your mother stories to make her sleep." Thorin smirked, stroking the chair. "Your mother was not always the woman you know her as. She was once just a sweet innocent." Thorin lamented. "Life and hardship made her what she is today."

"I remember when you would tell us stories, uncle. On a chair much like this, back in the blue mountains." Fili said, walking past Thorin to the bed his mother once lay in. "Stories of this place, and the dwarves that came before us." Fili had his arms crossed as he stood up against the wall. Thorin had his arm on the mantle of the fireplace, leaning heavily upon it.

"You see now, Fili, why we had to return. At all costs." Thorin said. "This place was our home." He walked over in front of Fili, who stood tall before him. "We belong here." Thorin spoke, voice low and insistant. He grabbed the back of Fili's head and neck firmly. "Don't you see? Everything I have done…I've done for you all…"

Fili pursed his lips and for that moment he stared into the eyes of the dwarf he admired above anyone else. He took a deep breath and nodded.

"Thorin…Thorin…" a far away voice echoed, one filled with urgency. Thorin turned around, alert, concerned.

"Its Bilbo…" Fili said. Thorin turned around and walked out of the living quarters quickly.

Thorin had grown more and more fond of the quiet, cerebral hobbit. Bilbo Baggins had surprised him on too many occasions, being often the voice of reason, wise and clever beyond the years upon his face. He had proved his worth many times over and humbled Thorin with his courage. And now, with the confusion and suspicion Thorin was begrudgingly admitting he felt was taking hold of his mind, he found himself seeking out Bilbo as a rather unlikely confidant. He trusted the little hobbit, surprisingly much more than he expected…The tone in Bilbo's voice alarmed him.

"Bilbo!" Thorin shouted as he continued along, looking up towards the upper reaches of Erebor, climbing up the stairs. Fili followed close behind.

"Thorin!" Bilbo's voice echoed, yet he still could not be seen. Then, as they rounded a large wide pillar, they ran headlong into Bilbo. In his characteristic manner, Bilbo eyes widened and he stepped back, startled, near the edge of the landing they collided on. Both Thorin and Fili reached out to grab him before he fell back into the depths of Erebor.

"Be careful Bilbo!" Thorin exclaimed, crossly.

"Are you alright?" Fili asked, setting the flustered burglar upright. Bilbo panted heavily.

"What's wrong? Why were you searching for me?" Thorin asked urgently. Bilbo took a few more breaths, holding his finger up and bending over. Thorin's shoulders dropped and his face twisted into a smirk. "What is it, Master Baggins..."he said, in a low, gravely tone. Bilbo finally caught his breath.

"Thorin…they are coming…." He said. Thorin's brows knit. "The men of Laketown…I saw them coming over the hills…"

"What? They are coming here?" Thorin gasped….

_They come for our gold…our gold…._the shadow in Thorin's mind had returned. Bilbo pursed his lips and shook his head.

"Well…no, not here…the bird said… oh…what's his name again…the king-bird?" Bilbo stammered, brows knit.

"Roac..his name is Roac. Never mind that. What did he say?" Thorin said, growing impatient. Bilbo looked up at Thorin, and his eyes became steeled.

"He said they come to take shelter in Dale; but surely they would come here after." Bilbo said. "There are scores of them, traveling over the hills." Thorin gasped and raised his hand to his beard.

"So they will…" he said. "Let them just try…" he said, the darkness taking Thorin over again. Fili saw it, and glanced over to Bilbo, whose expression showed that he saw it as well. Bilbo pursed his lips.

"That's not all, Thorin." He said. "Roac said a dark haired dwarf was traveling with them. Alive and well…"

"Kili? He's alive!" Fili said, his eyes widening with joy, for the first time in days… "Oh thank Mahal…" he shouted.

"Yes…well…he is alive and well…but a prisoner of the elves…" Bilbo continued. Thorin's eyes widened and he approached Bilbo swiftly, grasping his arms.

"Elves? What elves?" Thorin urged, practically shaking Bilbo.

"I did not think the red-haired elf would take him prisoner…" Fili said, despondently. Bilbo looked between the two of them.

"Elves, quite a few of them, I saw, at least a legion…and no, she did not…Thranduil took him prisoner." he said rapidly, to one dwarf then the other. They both stared at him hard. Thorin released him.

"So…the elves ride in with the Lakemen. How kindhearted of the Woodland Realm scumlord…" He looked down at the lakes of gold beneath them. "We must secure the gold…we have to sure the entrance. They must not enter." He said. He looked over to Fili. "Call everyone to the gates!" He shouted loudly. Fili grabbed his arm. Thorin looked around him slowly, turning to face his nephew, eyes hot with anger.

"We have to rescue Kili." Fili urged, desperation in his voice. Thorin stood up tall and defiant.

"They will do him no harm, for now…" Thorin said, nonchalantly. Fili was incensed.

"What was it you were just telling me, but a few short minutes ago, uncle… we belong here, in Erebor. Well, so does Kili." Fili urged. Thorin shook his head.

"We cannot spare the manpower. We must barricade the door, and build up the wall to the first terrace…"

"I will go by myself if I must…but I will save my brother." Fili said, a sturdy resolve in his young face. Thorin pursed his lips. Bilbo swallowed hard, looking between them both. This was the second time Fili defied his uncle for his brother. Thorin turned around, angered, heading towards the front entrance of Erebor.

"Do what you think you must. You will have to scale the gate upon your return." Thorin muttered.

Bilbo looked on at the retreating dwarf with sadness. He had always thought that family was paramount to dwarves. He looked up at Fili, who was standing before him, fists clenched.

"I…I will come with you…" Bilbo said, decisively. Fili looked over at him, his eyes softening with surprise.

"Thank you, Master Burglar." He said, striding over to place a hand on his shoulder. "But no…I think it best you stay with my uncle…try to speak some sense to him…maybe he will listen to you." Fili said, worry tainting his face.

Bilbo sighed and nodded. Bilbo felt it would actually be easier to rescue Kili…Then Fili knit his brows.

"Now…how will I find out where Kili is being held."

"_Squawk_…." The flapping of wings made them both gasp and look upward. "I believe I can be of assistance…" the raven said.

**Angelwrath's BoFA Review:**

**{{{{Spoiler alert! Do not read tbelow if you have not seen the movie! }} **

**Smaug scene…really cool. Loved it. The scene in Dol Guldor…awesome! **

**AH….My favorite scene : You know it…all what…131 seconds where Kili tries to convince Tauriel to go with him, she refuses, he whispers sweet nothings in Khuzdul, Legolas is a major buttinski, and then Kili gives her the token? They give each other that look we've been melting for…Then they're off…awwww how sweet…She is choked up….**

**What THAT'S IT?! No more Kiliel until they are screaming for each other on Raven hill? NO WAY! Unfortunately, that lakeside scene was the only scene they had together both alive, without impending death. **

**Ok Erebor scenes and Thorin's madness was impeccable. Loved Bilbo. Bard in Dale was wonderful. Thranduil was a great cold leader, great fighting machine, elegant and deadly. Battle scenes and Dain were stupendous. Then my man Kili yelling at Thorin…sniff. I didn't think it was a great scene when Tauriel went up against Thranduil in dale. Oh Legolas…don't you see?**

**Ok Ravenhill. The death of Fili- that one made me weep… with anger. It was so unlike strong, courageous Fili to be assassinated like a rag doll, dropped dead in front of his brother just for Thorin's pain. No, he deserved a more heroic, suitable demise. I guess that was the point. Didn't like it at all… **

**No…Tauriel cant die yet…My heart skipped a beat when Kili jumped on Bolg, but he got bested so fast I nearly missed it by blinking. And of course, canon rules; Kili had to die. It still hurt my soul to see it, even if expected. Kili's death scene was moving but…and the death kiss a half an hour later, oh, it made me weep but…seriously?! Why in hell did they not get a kiss in before he got offed? **

**Thorin's death, on the other hand, was epic. The battle between him and Azog preceding it was great. I never thought there was a good reason behind Bagginshield until this movie. They had me whimpering. **

**And her final speech…UGH! Of course it f**** hurts! And my Tauriel would have NEVER, EVER asked for her love for Kili to be taken away…it is WAY too precious to her. I am ticked! Really PJ?! Ugh! . **

**The dispatching of Legolas to the north and the tie in to LOTR was contrived at best. You could not really feel bad for Legolas, even though he just got jilted for a dead dwarf. The rest of the movie for me, after that, was a slow let down. All in all, could have done with less of stupid Alfrid (AND MORE KILIEL HELLLLOOOOO!) **

**BoFA was a really good movie, but…a bit of a disappointment for Kiliel shippers, I feel. I can only pray for Kiliel in the extended scenes (whimper…). Ok, ranting over. **

AW


	26. Chapter 26

**Author note:**

**Hope you all liked my portrayal of the relationships of the royal family. As mad as Thorin did become, I believe he still was a loving, caring brother and uncle after all. **

**Thanks for the reviews, my sweets: Eclaire stones, Jampaqd, Wizard XP, Vi-violence, Takokusha, Sparkle85, Pass the porn tea, Haku's Lover 18, edger2deadly, mfaerie32, Tuonra, Selene tyler smith, margaritasc, Amber85…**

**Ok, shippers, this chapter is for you. **

**Mwah!**

**AW **

* * *

><p>Legolas walked through the forest, away from the infuriating young dwarf quite uneasy. He so did not want to empathize with Kili, see his point of view, but begrudgingly, he did. Kili felt strongly about Tauriel, like he, but in his mind, the little imp did not have the right to…not like he did. Yet, he did see sincerity in his eyes. The dwarf had only known the fire haired archer for mere seconds of their lifetime. Legolas had known her since she was a young elfling, and for the next 600 years. What could that young dwarf, barely a fledgling in their long lived years, know about caring about someone, especially an elf? Yes, it was best to just have the dwarf on his way, so that Tauriel's life could start getting back to normal.<p>

But really, what was normal, anymore? This burgeoning shadowy threat? The darkness growing ever bolder in the wood? The looming threat of conflict with the dwarf king under the mountain?

Legolas pursed his lips, his mind now more clear, to ponder upon another issue that disturbed him greatly. Something about the orks he fought at Laketown bothered him at a primal level. These orks were not like most of the others- stupid, lumbering, clumsy oafs that would collapse with a single blow. These orks knew how to fight, and did so well, especially the tall, fierce one. The ork commander's words echoed in his brain. Legolas summoned his horse and rode ahead to join in the procession.

Legolas pulled his horse alongside his father, who turned his way slowly, nodding once with acknowledgement, his face emotionless, other than the slight rise in the brow. Thranduil looked forward.

"What is it that troubles you?" He asked. Conversations with Thranduil were usually short and to the point.

"We fought with orks in Laketown, the ones hunting the dwarves." He started, as his father's eyes shifted back to him. "One of them spoke to me…he said "_I recognize your face and your smell, elf …I have killed your likeness before…but will your blood taste as sweet?_" Legolas repeated, in the broken, blighted ork tongue, in a low voice. Thanduil's eyes widened and they looked at Legolas hard. "What could that mean?" he said.

"I do not even care to wonder what is in the putrid mind of those vile creatures." Thranduil said, in as low a voice, his face going blank with introspection. "The last time our people had any contact with orks on a level greater than skirmishes in the woods was…" Thranduil pulled up short in the saddle for just a second. A darkness floated over his face. A familiar darkness, to Legolas.

"Gundabad." Legolas growled.

"Yes." Was the single syllable answer from his father.

Gundabad was a place they spoke little of, but Legolas knew it was the place where the last great battle between orks and elves occurred. It also held a gloomier, more distressing memory for the royal seat of the Woodland realm. It was the place where his mother died. Just the sound of the fortress name as it floated to Thranduil's ears provoked a shudder and stillness in the great elf king, the only indication of a chink in his otherwise unyielding armor. Anger and sadness welled up within Legolas, thinking upon what the ork might have meant…

"The orks we fought around the camps at Laketown were of the same caliber." Legolas continued. Thranduil looked his way again. "If orks again infest those walls…they will keep coming."

"It will mean disaster for the free peoples of the east." Thranduil pondered. "I wish no more speculation." Thranduil blurted out before Legolas could continue raising his hand for silence. "I will call for more reinforcements from Mirkwood."

Legolas seethed in his saddle. He wished no more speculation as well, but he had different thoughts as to how to find out more about his query.

* * *

><p>Tauriel spent much of the morning by mount, scouting ahead alongside the Laketown contingent. From high vantage points, she could see the path that led to the lonely mountain, easing up and up alongside a river valley, and the slight right turn in the path the group would have to make when they met the great plain that lay between Erebor and the crumbling ruins she assumed was Dale. Tauriel gauged the distance and memorized the river path, a deep, meandering gouge in the landscape, birthing the rock formations in the way of the great doors of Erebor, which she could now see in the distance. It was breathtaking, the first time it came to view. Large semblances of dwarves were hewn into the grey-brown rock of the mountain; indicative of an industrious, strong, yet furtive people. The braziers were lit at either side of the chasm of an entryway, where, further in, a stone door was visible. Ah, so the company of Thorin Oakenshield had reached their goal after all. Tauriel looked at it with wonder for a few moments.<p>

A proud and rich people they were, dwarves. Ingenious and assiduous as well, as far as she could tell. All her experiences with them, of which there were few before the time she spent with Kili, she only knew of dwarves as rude and gruff, and combative and stubborn creatures. Yet Kili was none of those, to her. Could one really blame the dwarves of Erebor for their ire and bitterness upon being forced out of such a magnificent kingdom as the one that lay before her, evicted by a fire serpent with a taste for dwarf hide, and a penchant for gold?

Tauriel took her leave of the high ground and its view of the valley and headed back to the seemingly endless procession of Lakemen and Elves. Tauriel doubled back through the forest to come upon the covered wagons, which were all in a convoy, ambling slowly along the roughened trail. She was trying to devise a plan to free Kili in her head, as she rode quietly through the forest. There was very little she felt she could do on the road; and had it in her mind to wait till their arrival to Dale to figure some way to abduct the captive dwarf. She rode, until she was a short distance from Kili's wagon, and stayed but a few trees deep into the forest alongside the procession.

Suddenly, and she could barely believe her eyes, she saw none other than Legolas drop soundlessly onto one of the wagons from an overhanging tree. She held her breath and pressed her steed to narrow the distance between them. She saw Legolas slice a hole effortlessly on the tarp, while hanging onto a rope on the rib of the wagon. Then he was still.

"Legolas, what are you doing?" Tauriel whispered to herself.

She saw him reach in rapidly and pull out something…or someone, slamming it on the ground. Next she saw him toss whatever it was into the woods, jumping out of view a second later himself. His movements were so fast as to only be a blur. Tauriel looked around at the elves around the wagon. None had seen nor heard a thing.

Tauriel jumped from her horse, knowing she would have greater stealth on foot. She followed Legolas down the hill. She looked on with wide open eyes, her very breath seized as growls and mumblings came from her prince, as he bared one of his daggers to the heap he now leaned over. She drew close enough to hear Legolas threaten the dark form on the ground. A few seconds later, it was Kili, who stood up obviously dazed, and walked ahead of Legolas, who had his dagger to Kili's back…A lump formed in her throat.

_Why would Legolas do such a thing? _

Legolas was one of the best trackers in Mirkwood, therefore Tauriel had to use an abundance of caution not to draw attention as she followed them soundlessly through the forest, yet within, her voice was screaming in her head and her heart thumping hard. She held her breath and took to hiding behind trees. They arrived at a clearing on the top of a gentle rise.

Kili stopped and turned to address Legolas…She saw no fear in Kili's face as he spoke sharply to the armed elf. Ever fearless…which was more than she could say was how she felt for Kili at the moment. The sharp blade of the elven knife was mere inches from her dwarf lover's throat… Tauriel had no idea what Legolas had planned, but her mind was running wildly with terrible thoughts. Through disbelieving eyes growing full, Tauriel readied her bow, and with trembling hands she knocked an arrow onto the string, her eyes wide, unblinking to catch any movement.

_Oh Legolas, please no… _She breathed heavily, shaking… _Oh please, my prince, don't do this…_

She waited several tortured moments before Legolas sheathed his dagger. Tauriel nearly collapsed on the forest floor, shaking, gasping silently. That would have been horrible.

When she collected herself enough to move she grew closer to the clearing they had reached. There, before her, were the two men she adored most in Middle Earth; and they hated each other. She listened intently to their argument, her heart aching, growing fuller. Kili looked her way briefly through the forest, as if he had seen her, or sensed her. She swallowed hard, and he looked away. Their words at an end, Kili took his leave, towards Erebor, and Legolas headed back towards the procession. Tauriel stared at the empty clearing for a few moments, thinking upon what had just happened.

Legolas knew her too well; he knew she would try to free Kili…so he did it himself, to save her the trouble it may have caused her. None would suspect him. She closed her eyes and shook her head, a sadness washing over her. She felt humbled that Legolas, the bold, brave elf prince would do such a thing, for her. Tauriel looked the direction to which Legolas left the woods and sighed, wondering if she should follow him. If good sense and logic would lead her, she would follow her prince out of the wood, and leave what had happened in the past securely there. Maybe she would be happy, in the woodland realm, with her people; maybe she would end up with her prince, just as she had hoped in her earlier days.

But could she resign herself to just remember fondly what happened with Kili, keep it secret in her heart and mind, and try to live forever in another world, just thinking upon those days and nights of desire? Never was her life touched by such passion… would it ever be again?

Kili was well on his way, crossing these badlands alone to go to Erebor, where he belonged. Where did she belong, now?

A simple glance the way of Erebor and the faint sounds of Kili walking through the woods gave her the answer. Her heart ached and the pull she felt in Mirkwood, then Esgaroth, and then in the survivor's camp that called on her to risk everything for a tall, young dwarf manifested itself again.

"Thank you..." she whispered, glancing back the direction her prince retreated into the woods.

Her heart now belonged to someone other than an elf. Tauriel fetched her horse and rode quietly through the forest, on a straight path to Erebor. She approached a clearing and looked around; certainly Kili had not been able to get that far.

"Kili?" she whispered loudly…"Kili!"

"Tauriel…" She heard his voice, coming from a behind a bush on the edge of the clearing and she turned to see him approach her. Kili eyes were wide with surprise, his face set in the sweetest smile. Her heart warmed and bloomed. She jumped down off the horse and approached him. He shortened the distance swiftly and wrapped his arms around her, and held her tight, with gasps of joy.

The terrain was such that it took little effort for Kili to reach up and press his lips to hers, taking possession of her mouth with hard, urgent kisses. She returned them, as if they had not been together in eons.

"I thought I would never see you again..." He gasped, as he touched her face with his fingers, his eyes upon her soft and adoring. Tauriel smiled widely. His brows knit a bit with question in his eyes. "Why are you here?" he asked, in a soft voice. Tauriel looked up to the hulking colossus of the Lonely Mountain, then back towards the trail from which they had come.

"It is only a matter of time before they realize you are gone." She explained, as she stroked the soft down of his jawline. "Then they will surely come this way in search of you. I can get you to Erebor faster than you can walk yourself." Kili's expression of happiness melted into one of sad resolve and he nodded.

For a moment, Kili had the wild hope that Tauriel had reconsidered the request he had made that earlier night, in the little tent. That unobtainable dream of the two of them, in a little cabin in the woods all their own. He sighed. It was just a dream…

Tauriel looked down at her dwarf as she took his hand, and squeezed it tight until his eyes rose to hers. They walked wordlessly to her mount which was standing in the tree line awaiting them.

"Would you like to ride fore or aft?" she asked, stroking the dark hair on his head.

"Aft." He said, softly, his eyes pinned on hers._ I want to hold you for as long as I can_… Tauriel's heart did a little twist in her chest and she leaned over to give him a gentle kiss before mounting the horse.

As they rode towards the mountain, the forest grew sparse quickly, and then gave way to the tortured scrub brush that struggled to live in the desolation the fire drake created, the closer and closer they drew to Erebor. Healthy forest would have a difficult time growing after being burned by a dragon's breath, as if poison had showered the land. They kept on with as much haste as they could over the rough terrain. Tauriel guided the horse expertly and swiftly, yet her mind was captivated by the warm body pressed to her back, the arms of the dwarf riding behind her encircling her.

His head rested often against her back, and at times she swore she could feel his hot breath against her skin again. When his arms were not holding her tightly around her waist, his hands would wander. On occasion, his hands caressed her back and then wound around her waist, fingers splayed over her belly as he pressed her to him, awakening flutters within her. Kili's fingers sometimes drifted up to stroke her arm, then gently down her body to stroke her leg, nearly making her swoon while astride. Tauriel felt the muscles of Kili's chest, arms and legs pressed up against her, moving as the horse cantered and galloped, and it reminded her of how their bodies felt when moving together those beautiful nights. Such a sweet distraction. How different and much more pleasant it felt riding with Kili…

They eventually came to the riverbed closest to the summit of the Lonely Mountain, on the southernmost arm of the foothills. A rocky, shallow riverbed, and a sloping, steep high embankment on the other side was all that lay between them and Erebor, which was in full view. Kili looked on the view of his homeland with wide eyes, his first views of the entrance of Erebor filling his sight.

"So there it is…" he gasped.

"I can take you no further." He heard Tauriel say, as she turned around in the saddle to look at him.

Kili slid off the horse and approached the riverside slowly. He heard her dismount behind him. Kili stood staring up at the mountain and turned slowly to the elf now standing by his side who was looking up at the same hulking colossus.

"They are your people. You must go." Tauriel said softly.

"I know…" he admitted. He heard her turn to walk away.

_Would you have me take my leave of you so easily, Tauriel_? Kili lamented, in his head, as he looked down, staring at the rocky, frosted bank of the creek before him.

He heard the subtle crunching of the gravel beneath her feet as Tauriel walked up behind him, and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. They turned to face each other. The look of sadness and disappointment in her soft green eyes made him gasp, and rethink his prior thoughts…

"Kili…this is not easy for me." Tauriel whispered sweetly, her fingers stroking his cheek. Kili opened his eyes wide for a moment…now he was more certain of his suspicions…could she really hear his thoughts? But how?

"I …just need you to be safe." Tauriel continued, her words coming slowly, her eyes softly tracing his face. Kili pursed his lips and nodded. He took a deep breath, all his reservations at an end. He felt light with hope. He may never have the chance to say this, ever again…

"Come with me, Tauriel. I know how I feel. I'm not afraid..." Kili said quickly, his eyes wide with the joy of purpose. "You make me feel alive."

"No…I can't…" Tauriel lamented, the strong desire to join Kili and go anywhere with him wrestling with reason. "There is no place for an elf in Erebor." She said, looking down, "Just as there is no place for a dwarf in Mirkwood…"

Kili captured her hand. There was something he realized he must tell her, and could no longer wait. Only the heavens knew when they would again be this close. Tauriel's eyes rose to his.

"Tauriel…_Amralime_." Kili said slowly, softly, staring sincerely into her eyes, his eyes soft and adoring, an expression of tenderness on his face. Kili used the Khuzdul word meant to convey the idea of a spiritual, consuming, unending love…

"I don't know what that means…" Tauriel whispered, just a breath, a small question on her face as her heart swelled in her chest.

"I think you do…" he said, his eyes and lips curling coyly, gently into a smile. Tauriel could not help but to mirror the gentle smile, as warmth rose from her chest to her cheeks…

_I love you, Tauriel. _

Kili was looking at her with a knowing tender expression, his lips not moving, yet she heard his voice clearly. Tauriel felt her heart skip a beat…did he know she could sense his thoughts? In any case, his eyes said it all…

"_Amralime._" She repeated, her voice a slight bit tremulous. Kili's eyes opened widely for a moment and he breathed in slowly, and his face broke into a wide smile.

"Actually, you would say _amralume_…" He corrected, in a low voice. Tauriel smiled and put her soft hand on his cheek. This was not the time to be mindful of words. The feelings were obvious and the message clear…

"I would say _Le melin_…" she said, her eyes soft and serious. Kili's eyes grew wide and he gasped. He did not need to know Sindarian to know what it meant.

"Would you?" he whispered. Tauriel nodded slowly in the affirmative, the smile on her face, the light in her jade green eyes one he would keep in his mind's eye forever. "_Le melin…_" he repeated, in her native tongue, as she brought her lips to his, and kissed him softly. Kili drank in her kiss, his heart beating out of his chest with fullness.

It was there on that little rocky riverbank where and elf and a dwarf openly declared their love for each other, which they felt with the universal language of passion the moment they met. But the sweet mood of lightheaded joy would not last long.

They looked up as a black bird crossed high above them, circling, and cawing.

"A raven…the ravens of Erebor…" Kili said, looking up with wonder. Tauriel looked up to the top of the bank.

"Kili!" They heard him call out…Fili's blond head poked up above the grey edges of the rock at the top of the embankment.

"Fili!" Kili yelled.

"Im so happy to see you alive, brother!" Fili said. Kili's face immediately lit up with joy, and he waved wildly.

"Hush!" Tauriel said urgently. "Your voices echo off this stone." She warned. Kili looked back at her.

Tauriel looked at him with a sad smile. She knew how happy he was at seeing Fili again. Tauriel turned around, the barely perceivable noise in the distance being caught by her sensitive hearing. There was a group approaching. They were still a ways away, but definitely headed their way with certain speed.

"Tauriel…" Kili said, softly. His heart ached, with a pang like stab upon finally facing the moment he had to take his leave of her. Every sinew in his body and the heart beating heavily in his chest bid him stay.

"You have to go to him, now…" she said turning back around.

Kili looked on as Tauriel walked a few paces away, staring into the distance. He took two steps toward the river, and then halted in his tracks. He turned and hurried up behind her.

She turned to look back at him, brows knit, as he stood close, his eyes tracing hers, that intense look of adoration and longing making her chest ache. She looked down at him with softness. Tauriel felt Kili take her hand and slip something cool and round into it. He folded her fingers over it and pressed her closed hand against his chest.

"Keep it…as a promise." He whispered. Then he let her hand go and quickly scurried over the low rocks in the riverbed. Tauriel kept her eyes on Kili as he scampered up the gentle grade of the riverbank, to where he actually had to start climbing when it became more vertical. She looked down to her hand and opened it.

In her palm lay Kili's rune stone…with the Khuzdul words 'return to me' etched upon the deep, iridescent blue grey labradorite stone. Tauriel's mouth opened with shock, and she felt as if she would weep. She could only stare as dwarf she loved scaled the bank, quickly and expertly, now fully healed from the injury that nearly ended his life, the wound that sealed their fate.

She heard the galloping horses behind her, and after stashing the stone securely, she grabbed her bow and arrows from her horse. She stood solid, with a façade of calm to face the wrath she knew she would have to.

Thranduil rode in with his company, astride his elk, surrounded by his closest guard, including Oreyon. His face was twisted with anger. He dismounted rapidly, and approached her.

"Why did you free my prisoner?" He yelled, the grey eyes glaring.

"I did not, my lord. But I would not see him returned to you." She said loudly. "He belongs with his people."

"He goes to Erebor when and if I decide he does!" Thranduil spat, his eyes now turned upon the rapidly climbing dwarf.

Up on the embankment, Kili struggled to turn around and see what was happening with Tauriel.

"Kili…don't look down, just focus on climbing…quickly!" Fili said, eyes set intently on the confrontation occurring beneath them. It was obvious the king was unhappy with his captain…Fili pursed his lips, his greatest concern his brother, now scaling the rocky, steep bank.

"What's happening?" Kili asked, as he struggled to find foot and handholds in the crumbling wall before him.

"Nothing just yet…" Fili said. "Hurry!" he urged.

Down below, Thranduil looked up at the escaping prisoner with stone cold determination. He turned his hard gaze to Oreyon.

"Can your men get him?" He asked, a chill in his voice.

"He has a head start; we will not reach him before he reaches the top." Oreyon answered.

"Then shoot him down." Thranduil said, nonchalantly. "Try not to kill him. I want him alive."

"What?" Tauriel gasped, a deep dread taking hold in the pit of her stomach. "No, please…you can't do this…"

"My Lord…" Oreyon said, a bit taken aback. Thranduil glared at him. "He may sustain grave injury with the fall from that height…"

"He should have thought about that before he decided to escape." He said, glaring, disbelieving at Tauriel. She was backing up, looking up Kili, then looking back at Oreyon, then him.

"No please…just let him go…please, my lord." Tauriel begged, desperation in her voice.

"What are you waiting for?" Thranduil said, turning to Oreyon, who pursed his lips and readied his bow.

An arrow came out of nowhere and knocked the arrow out of Oreyon's bow, sending it careening to the ground. Everyone gasped and looked on from whence the arrow came. Tauriel knocked another arrow and pulled back on her bow taut, straining with all her might not to shake, with all her will to keep her face like stone as she stared into the hard, dagger like glare from a man she respected and admired…

Her king, the one she was in the act of betraying. Her head was hurting with the screaming of her soul. It was an impossible choice, yet one she had to make. She would not sit by and watch them hurt Kili.

"Don't shoot…or I will." She said, her voice straining. She leveled the arrow at Thranduil. There was no way she would miss.

Thranduil stared at her in disbelief. The sting of his anger hurt almost physically.

"What...are you doing?" he said, no fear in his gaze, only burning hot fury.

"Please." She said, trying to shore up the heart that was tearing in two within her. "Don't make me do this..." she whispered, as she struggled to draw in a shaky breath. The arrow of every archer around her was upon her.

"You have gone completely mad." Thranduil spat. His glare, his presence grew larger before her, his ire hot as coals as he took several steps toward her. She used the last bit of her energy to steel herself.

"Please…Let him go." She said, pulling the bow back even more. Thranduil stopped short and put up his hand. The archers dropped their arrows behind him. The hatred that was pouring from his eyes nearly made her weep.

They stood for several seconds while the soft sounds of a dwarf scampering up the rockface grew softer. There was some murmuring, and harsh words from the top of the embankment. She heard the gravel sliding down on the other side of the hill…but she felt it. Kili was now safe.

Tauriel brought down her arrow and relaxed the pull. She continued staring as Thranduil looked up the hill and bared his teeth in anger.

He strode up to her rapidly, and with a lightning fast move, he swiped his sword before her. She jumped back and gasped as her bow was sliced in two. A shard of the shattered bow scored her face, a biting pain that made her grimace. The rest of the bow had been wrenched from her hold by the blow and it fell from her grasp. She was paralyzed in shock, the blood starting to ooze from the cut on her cheek. But at the moment, she almost wished that the blade had severed deeper…

"Noooo! Tauriel!" She heard Kili scream, and then he was silenced.

The fury before her was one she never, in all her days, would have wanted to be the subject of. She fell to the ground, unable to breathe, like the weight of the mountain was upon her, his presence like the oncoming wall of a flood. She looked up at Thranduil, sadness in her eyes…

"How dare you… betray me?" He growled with disbelief and rage in his eyes.

"You could have killed him…"she said, her voice cracking.

"And what of it." He said, walking around her. "If not today, then next month or next year or a hundred years from now, he will die. He is mortal…" he said, leaning over, his voice dripping with bitterness. Tauriel looked up at him, his true words cutting into her, deep. Any love of a mortal would end in sadness…

"Is there no love left in you?" Tauriel whispered. Thranduil stood up and stared at her; she could feel his searing glare. She raised her head to dare to look into his eyes again. The hurt mixed with anger stung.

"What do you know about love? Are you ready to die for it?" Thranduil raged, the tip of his sword at her throat.

"Mercy, Father!" The clear, loud voice of Legolas rang out. Tauriel turned and looked at him; he was about a dozen paces away, walking slowly with his hands before him, a wide look of concern and anguish on his face. Thranduil glanced at him, his eyes still bitter when they returned to her. He slowly sheathed his sword, and she gasped.

"What you feel for that dwarf…you think it is love…but it is not real." Thranduil growled in a low voice. He closed the distance between them. "Get …thee…from…my …sight!" Thranduil screamed. She felt his words like an earthquake through her being.

Thranduil and the other elves all turned their backs to her and walked away, all but Oreyon. Tauriel looked down, her eyes hot and full, panting in pain. She saw Oreyon's boots move toward her. She looked up slowly. Oreyon's stern expression, and pursed lips above crossed arms stung their disapproval. He walked closer to her, looking down at her as she remained on the ground.

"Your aim was more sure than mine would have been, Tauriel." He said, in a low voice, before turning and leaving. Tauriel looked after him, unbelieving. He would have missed Kili on purpose….

The thing that hurt the most though, the thing that made her gasp with grief before she was left completely alone was the betrayal she saw on face of her beloved prince, Legolas, as he turned to join his father.

At least she thought she was alone…

* * *

><p>"What in the name of the gods is she doing?" Kili uttered, as he hung on to the top of the bank and turned back to stare at Tauriel, who had her bow actually aimed at her king. His heart seized in his chest. Fili gripped his shirt and hauled Kili the rest of the way over the rise.<p>

"She is saving your arse…again!" Fili growled.

Kili crawled back up the hill, peeking over. He looked on in horror and as he saw Thranduil approach Tauriel and swipe at her… Fili climbed up the hill rapidly, taking a quick look over the crest.

"Noooo!" Kili screamed, lunging forward. "Tauriel!" he shouted, nearly falling over the sharp edge of the hill.

Fili got a glimpse of the King over a now fallen Tauriel, crumpled on the ground. She seemed alive. All the rest of the elves looked their way. No part of this looked good. Fili grabbed Kili roughly and pulled him back out of view, covering his mouth. The Durin brothers rolled together halfway down the other side of the rocky embankment. Kili was incensed, fighting his way out of his brother's grasp, looking at him with wide eyed, angry desperation. Kili started up the hill again. Fili jumped in his way, grabbing the cowl of his coat. Kili fought against him.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kili said, pushing Fili away.

"Stopping you from ruining everything she just sacrificed for you!" Fili shouted insistently, throwing his brother backward, his eyes cross. Kili breathed hard, looking wide eyed up the hill, then back to his brother.

"I have to help her…" Kili said, eyes wide with despair.

"We cannot go against a legion of elves." He said, pushing a devastated Kili away. "Not even for her."

They heard Thranduil's scream at Tauriel, and looked at each other.

"You can't help her, Kili." Fili said slowly, in a low voice. Kili gave one last look up the hill, the poison rationality in his brother words sinking into him. His head understood, as his heart was breaking. He closed his eyes and remembered her words, ringing in his ears, as her soft hands touched his face…

_I just want you to be safe…_ Kili knew what he had to do.

"We have to go…now, KIli." Fili insisted, starting to run along the rocks on his way. Moving as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, Kili followed his brother as they ran all the way to the gates of Erebor.


	27. Chapter 27

**Author's Note:**

**So sorry this is long in coming; but I have had to struggle a bit, and pin down how I will go forward, since the plot complexity continues to grow. Part of my delay is that I love love love writing certain parts of this story and dread writing others, but I want to keep it all consistently of a decent quality. After a few attempts I decided I will leave the detailed descriptors of what happened in Dul Guldor up to BOFA, for I don't think I can add much to that scene so well done by PJ. I will refer to it later. I can only thank you for your patience…I do hope you continue to enjoy. **

**And a world of thanks to my reviewers, for you are inspiration for my aching fingers, my friends: Fifty fantasies (hello again!), KaramelKat, Hitomicagalli, mionemalfoy, menage a trois, Vi-Violence, Eclaire stones, Lola, Anon, Jampaqd, JP, Haku's lover18, Noir Ecrivain, K215y, Margaritasc, Jubjub0250, Wizard xp, Pass the porn tea, Tuonora, Cyn3rose, mfaerie32, LadyBardok, November rain…. I was hoping to have a gift for you all for the 14****th****…**

**Some concerns from reviews- Yes I do know that Thranduil is acting a bit…elitist/racist with his comments about 'lowly Silvan elves.' But he has his reasons, in my story… And yes, I know it is Bolg, not Blog. I have to blame my poor editing skills, or my autocorrect. **

**Oh and yes, I know ****_amralime_**** means "My love…" That does not mean Kili could not have been thinking "I love you" in that last chapter…which he was. (Smile)**

**Hugs and kisses**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Tauriel stared at the elves leaving the riverside as she sat on the ground with sadness, as the cold wind ripped around her. She did so for some time after they had vanished from sight. Eventually, she stood up, slowly, staring at the ground. A few deep breaths cleared her head.<p>

She turned to the tall embankment, looking up at the stone cold grey-brown of the Lonely Mountain. Just moments before, she was exchanging tender glances with her dwarf, words of love finally admitted. And within the next few moments, she alienated everyone else she knew, in her world of elves. She was not certain what would have happened, had Legolas not commanded mercy for her. What Tauriel had done was unforgivable, in her realm. She was now an elf without a home; for the words Thranduil had said meant banishment. She closed her eyes. She had taken an incredible risk, in falling in love with a dwarf, and this was the price.

Within her, she felt dread as realization struck. Where would she go now…what would she do? In the end, she hoped she would think it thus… that all she had sacrificed was worth it If Kili was now safe.

"Lo, there." A voice she recognized said behind her. She turned around quickly. It was Bard, a fair distance away. "I believe this is yours." He said, approaching slowly. He was on a horse of his own, and had hers on tow on tether.

"Yes…it is." Tauriel nodded slowly and met him, head high. Her mind was in too much of a turmoil and shock to think too much about why the Bowman came this way, and was helping her. "Thank you." she said. Bard nodded.

"I…I saw what happened." He said, face serious. Tauriel got up on the horse and looked towards the ruins of Dale, then back at the Lonely mountain. She eventually looked back at Bard, who was sitting on his mount silently,a look of compassion on his face.

"That was the most horrible thing I think I could have done." Tauriel said sadly, with introspection, looking him in the eye. Bard returned the stare. "And the most difficult thing that I have ever had to do." She said softly, her voice trailing. Tauriel looked down at her horse.

"It was indeed both the bravest action I have seen, yet the most dangerous. But you did that which was right to do, however difficult." Bard insisted, coming closer to her. "Whatever your motivations…" he continued.

Tauriel looked up at Bard sharply. He had a serious, yet knowing expression on his face. Tauriel knit her brows, the heat rising up in her face. She shifted around uncomfortably.

Bard had been traveling with Thranduil and his guard, discussing where the King would set up his quarters in Dale when the discovery of the missing prisoner was made. He followed the angered king and his entourage to the bend in the river close to Erebor as fast as he could, yet lingered some distance away from the riverbank as the confrontation occurred. He waited for some time at a comfortable distance after Thranduil and the other elves departed, his eyes on the elf sitting on the riverbank.

As Bard retrieved the horse scared off by the turmoil that he suspected was her mount, he thought about all he had witnessed. This same she-elf had come to his house to heal the deathly ill young dwarf. This elf and that dwarf had escaped into the forest for days together while Smaug attacked Laketown. At the survivor's camp at Laketown, he saw Kili and Tauriel together talking quietly, closely, and also fighting side by side in the forest. He had also seen them exchange strange glances when Kili was bound and being thrown into his covered wagon jail cell. Finally, he could hardly believe what he saw the she elf warrior do for the young dwarf this day; as well as the young dwarf's reaction on the embankment.

Yet Tauriel was the same she-elf that Prince Legolas worried much over in the aftermath of the dragonfire. Bard knew the elf prince thought very highly of Tauriel, and treated her with fond familiarity at the survivor's camp. But…why would this elf Tauriel and the dwarf Kili have any such connection that he had witnessed? Bard could think of very few reasons why…and they did not make sense. Had a close friendship formed as they risked death together? Or something else, from before? The whole situation…it was all very strange. But did it matter? Was it important that it make sense to him? Bard sighed and pursed his lips, crossing his hands with the reins held between them to lean on the front of his saddle.

"It is none of my business why you did what you did back there." Bard said decidedly, essentially letting Tauriel know she did not have to explain herself. "What I wonder is what you will do now." Tauriel looked back at him slowly, relief in her mind.

"I have few options…" Tauriel looked away. "I know not where to go…" She looked down, her face serious. "But, at least I have a steed for my travels… thanks to you." she said, patting the horses neck.

"Any place inhabitable is leagues away, and anything closer is the wilds, possibly infested by orks." He said, concern on his handsome face.

Bard shifted around in his saddle. Before him was a splendid warrior, Bard knew, having seen her in battle. Sigrid had told him about Tauriel's gracious yet stern assistance with his children in Laketown, and the story of how she used elvish incantations to heal the wounded dwarf. Even if Tauriel was now essentially expelled from the woodland realm, an elf with her skills would be an asset for Dale, considering what Legolas had said of the possible threat that may yet draw near to the mountain laden with gold, now left unguarded by a fire drake. And he thought helping her would please Legolas, at least.

"I know you may think it bold of me to ask…" Bard said, not knowing really how to address this elf before him. "But, I feel it is my duty to offer you a place to stay, with me and my people, in Dale." He said, sincerely. Tauriel looked at him with surprise.

"Why would you to do that?" she said, sad resolve on her face. "Your ally is he who banished me. Do you not fear provoking his ire at harboring me in your hearth?"

"He is an ally and a friend." Bard said, then he paused a moment. "That does not mean I must follow all he decrees. He is neither my King nor my Keeper. I must do what I feel is right."

"I do not wish to jeopardize your connection." Tauriel returned, lowering her head. There was some amount of shame in being banished, even though she was not ashamed at what she had done, but she did not want her presence to hinder others. Bard felt he had to insist.

"Your situation is close to my heart. My ancestors were banished from Dale by the dragon, and he destroyed our home yet again. There is a whole town of folk who feel like you do now; for the Men of the lake are homeless. But we wish to make a new home now, in Dale." Bard's horse stirred. "Look, I am no fool. I know what King Thranduil's actions are not only for our benefit. And I fear that there is a confrontation looming ahead with the dwarves."

"You will need an army of elves more than you will need one exile to contend with the dwarves in the days to come if that is the case." Tauriel retorted.

"I was hoping to start with requests and belay a fight, as I have found a just and reasonable character present in certain dwarves ... like the one you chose to help." Bard said. Tauriel looked at him hard, her brow rising with a bit of surprise. "I hope Kili will have some luck convincing Thorin of our plight."

"I am certain he will try." Tauriel said. Bard looked at her slyly and continued.

"And if you must know, my offer to you is not entirely unselfish." He smirked a bit.

"What do you mean?" Tauriel said, her head tilting to the side.

"I have seen you fight. And I know you are a healer. Your presence would be a great asset to us in Dale. It seems fair trade to me, shelter for whatever assistance you would choose to offer." Bard said. Tauriel pursed her lips. An interesting offer it was. Tauriel thought it over for a few moments.

"I will have to ponder upon it, good sir." She said, her heart still an aching mess after what had transpired. She looked towards the sun, which was now sinking lower in the sky in the west, the sky in the east darkening on the horizon. Bard followed her gaze. "For now, I agree that it is best to go to Dale; for at least I need to shelter for the night."

"We should get there before night is upon us." Bard urged. Tauriel nodded and they rode hard and fast over the barren land towards Dale.

They rode to the top of an outcropping on the south spur of the mountain, at a close enough distance to see where the people were entering Dale over the bridges, as was the elven host. By the time Bard and Tauriel arrived, the movement of men and elves was easily seen through the gaping holes in the stone buildings. Already the tent of the elven King was being brought in, to be erected in the highest point, in the destroyed great hall at the top of Dale. Elven guards and sentries were taking up positions throughout the borders of the town. The freshly lit torches and fires flickered on one by one in the waning light of day, glittering lights in the otherwise dismal rock, glowing off the golden elven armor; Tauriel paused and released a deep, sad sigh.

"I am sorry, can't continue on." She said, voice tinged with regret, looking towards the great stone town. She turned away with her horse from the sight, and looked back on Bard. "They will shun me, or worse." She said, sadness stark on her pretty face. Bard turned to her, lips tight with frustration.

"You have come this far. Please…I will bring you in under cover…" He urged.

"I do not wish to cower about, lurking in the shadows to avoid them all." She said sharply, a bit of the rebellious elf revealing herself, with a hard glare at Bard. She shook her head. "That, I cannot do." She looked up to the heavens in despair, and her eyes were drawn behind Bard, to a fortress like structure closer to Erebor, high up on a hill, also in ruin.

"What is that?" She asked, pointing.

"I don't know." Bard said, following her gaze.

Tauriel dug her heels in her horse, and took off towards the structure, Bard following close behind. They rode until their horses could no longer go up the steep slopes with safety. Then they dismounted and continued up the long, steep stairways. Tauriel, being the agile and energetic elf she was, ambled up the large stone steps with rapid ease, crossing the partially frozen waterfall with light footfalls and sure steps. Bard could not keep up, but climbed on at his own pace.

Tauriel arrived to explore the lowest levels of the fort long before Bard could join her. By the blocky architecture and inscriptions, she surmised this was dwarf built. She walked lightly through the deserted halls, looking in on the small stone rooms, finding some weapons, cots, wood, broken furniture and the like on one level; some horns, goblets and a variety of other things on the other. Everything was strewn about as if left in haste. She walked out on the flattened terraces, and found why it was so. All about the angular, strong structure was evidence of dragon blast, blackened holes hewn haphazardly about the terraces, roofs and walls. She pressed on to the top, which was what was left of an observation tower with its roof and some portions of the walls ripped off. She stood at the top and looked out at the views all around. It was astounding.

One had to just move in a prescribed circle to observe everything that surrounded you. It was clear to see much, despite the gentle flurries now settling in for the evening. Tauriel gazed from the torchlight drizzled prominence that was Dale, to the hilly, river gouged plateau that lay between that and Erebor. As she looked towards the yawning entrance in the Lonely Mountain, the braziers blazed without fail and a faint light flickered from within the mountain dwarf kingdom through the wide open chasm above the entrance, shadows of movement visible and sounds of industry faintly echoing, easily heard and seen from this post. Tauriel sighed, knowing the mountain now had within it something infinitely more precious to her than gold…

Continuing to scan about, she turned to the northwest, noting that the line of foothills that made up this southern spur was visible on both sides from this vantage, as was the river valley approach, and the long lake in the distance, the ruins of Laketown like black speckles in the lake, which was mirroring the variegated colors of the setting sun. The edges of middle earth faded into obscurity on the horizon. This was indeed an optimum site from which to stand watch. In her melancholy state, this stone cold perch, beautiful but lonely, spoke to Tauriel. She leapt down through the tangled ruins to meet up with the Lakeman who had followed her.

"One can see all approaches to Dale and Erebor from this vantage." She said, upon reaching him. "It was a dwarf outpost at one point, no doubt. It is an ideal view from which to give early warning of oncoming threats. I think I could do the most good if I stay here as sentinel." She decided. Bard, who was breathing hard with the effort of climbing, knit his brows and walked along the edges of the precipice, looking down into the valley and the ledges below.

"Are you sure?" he said, shaking his head. "It is cold and windy here…"He said, pulling together his cloak as the white snowflakes spun around their heads.

"Hardly a problem for an elf." She said, "Besides; there are many places I could find shelter within, and hearths to start a fire if the need arose." She insisted.

"You would stay here alone?" he asked. Tauriel sighed and looked around. It was true; she had never been truly alone for very long in her life. She may have to get used to that…

"I can manage." She asserted. "I will keep a small fire burning at night on a lower level facing Dale, so that you would know all is well. And I could use a horn I found within as an urgent signal."

Bard pursed his lips and knit his brows, as he rubbed at the trim beard beneath his mouth, the slight furrows in his face from a life hard lived echoing his discontent. He looked longingly towards Dale, where his family now was. Tauriel could see his disquiet at leaving her.

Tauriel smirked as he questioned, but did not let herself get offended, knowing the fatherly Bowman's concern and doting were from a goodly place. It took some gentle yet thorough convincing on her part, a full set of plans and promises, and an agreement for Tauriel to take a generous portion of supply from his horse before Bard agreed to hurry along on his way before the last light of day departed. He insisted she take his bow and quiver and said he would arrange to have his son come to see her in the morrow.

Before leaving, Bard looked back at the strong, fair elf, who was looking towards the lonely mountain with a sad resolve. Her face was still and stern, her scarlet hair wafting around her, her forest green tunic flapping lightly in the wind. He had to remind himself that this elegant, pretty elf was as deadly and resilient as any warrior he had met, even though she seemed as delicate as the new growths on the boughs in spring. He felt this daughter of the forest looked out of place on this fort of grey stone and ruin. But obvious to him now was the fact that something else may urge Tauriel to stay within close proximity to Erebor…

"My offer stands for now but also later, you know." Bard mentioned. Tauriel whipped her head around to look back at him. "You are welcome in Dale after the elves leave, after this situation with the dwarves comes to some resolution. We have to come to terms, for we are neighbors too close in proximity to be warring. " Bard said, with an earnest expression. "I hope you will consider it."

"Hopefully all disagreements will be resolved, amicably. And I thank you for your continued kindnesses." Tauriel said, taken aback by Bard's graces. She watched Bard go down the hill and get back on his horse, which was much lighter of supplies, her horse in tow.

For the rest of the night, she busied herself at first with cleaning and clearing some areas for her to work with, lighting the fire they agreed upon, and gathering as much dry wood as she could find from in and around the fort. In a cozy inner chamber, she set up her supplies and blankets. When she returned outside, it was quite dark, but she dutifully took her post up in the tower, sitting on a bench on the edge, bow in hand. Her eyes turned when she heard a flapping sound, and she saw several large black birds circle the tower, descend almost weightless on the wing, and alight on their perches. One bird's nest was rather close to her, so much so that the silver tipped feathers that showed its age were immediately visible to her. The large obsidian eyes of the raven regarded her silently.

"Ah. So I see…I am not alone." Tauriel said softly, with a gentle smile towards the bird.

A little while later, she looked down, and took the little stone out of the pocket of her tunic and gently stroked the smooth surface, her fingers tracing the runes. 'A promise', he had said… 'Return to me' the stone read.

"Oh, Kili…" she sighed heavily, as she shook her head. Little escaped the watchful eyes of the raven.

Some quiet hours passed as Tauriel dutifully paced about, surveying carefully all the shadowy distant places that surrounded her for any movement, dark creatures, or the sort. All was quiet and still on the hill, as a gentle snow dusted the mountain.

A caw, then a flurry of feathers drew her attention as the bird took off towards the entrance of Erebor. She wandered over to that part of the terrace and her heart leapt in her throat when, with her acute elf vision, she saw none other than Kili walking slowly along the highest terrace above the door of Erebor. He was wearing glistening, gold mail that shone in the night, his head uncovered so his dark hair wafted around his shoulders. Tauriel smiled to herself, happy to at least be able to gaze upon her lover, if not touch him. She could not help but to wonder; did he know where she was, and how she was feeling, and that she was well?

Kili stood and stared out into the night for hours that evening, apparently on watch himself. Tauriel could barely make out his face, but by his stance, the way he walked about slowly, the way he hung his head and crossed his arms, she knew he was very unhappy, and possibly angry. She could almost feel his emotions, heavy across the distance. Tauriel kept her eyes on him, worry filling her mind. Even though she was sure he could not see her, somehow, she knew that he was hurting, as he looked out over the barren plateau between Erebor and Dale.

This distance was maddening.

* * *

><p>...<p>

Fili felt he practically had to drag his brother away from the embankment all the way to the entrance of Erebor. He frequently had to pause and turn around to urge Kili to come along, as Kili frequently looked behind him. But the closer they got, Fili did sense at least curiosity in his brother's expressions, as Kili's dark eyes looked forward, set upon the entrance in the mountain. For a moment they paused to stand side by side at the great bridge, right outside their ancestral home.

Kili pursed his lips and looked back towards Dale, his worry about Tauriel making him ache. What had happened after he left? Where was she now, and how was she? But…she had done all she did so he would be safe, here in the halls of Erebor. Kili looked up at the mountain and gasped; there were the large stone dwarves, hewn into the mountain, the thick, stone bannisters, the tall stone pillars, the wide, expansive interior just beyond his view, even as he tiptoed to see it. His eyes traced the splendid stonework that made up the decorative, squared forms of the mountain, and it did feel…familiar somehow.

Kili pursed his lips and grimaced a bit, looking sadly upon the gouges he saw around the main entrance, the smashed terrace, deep marks set in the rock, the charcoal that was once wooden doors, all damage caused by the claws and breath of an invading dragon. He swallowed heavily, his heart pumping in his chest. A large stone slab within the entrance stood in place before him, rubble and boulders on either side.

"We are home, brother." Fili said, with a pleased, closed mouth smile as he patted his brother's shoulder. Kili looked over at him, nodding, a small smile on his face. "Come on!" he said, just before breaking into a run towards the opening.

"But…how do we get in?" Kili asked, walking forward slowly. Fili smiled, and stood before the flat slab of stone. After looking carefully on the raised design, he pressed with all his might on two distinct locations. With a creaking, grinding sound that drew Kili's attention, a tall slit suddenly appeared in the center of the stone. Kili looked on with wonder, his jaw slackened from shock, and when the door opened, he caught himself and broke into a full-fledged run across the bridge. He stopped right before the door.

"Come in." Fili said, before the dwarf sized opening in the rock that had just suddenly appeared. He looked back at his little brother with a small smile. Fili walked through the hidden entrance in the hulking stone door as Kili followed. Kili entered slowly, excitement taking hold.

Kili was dumfounded as he strode through the doorway, and the door groaned shut as Fili closed it behind him. They were left in a darkened entrance, carts and tools and large stones all about, mixed with rubble and fallen pillars, smashed walls and large, upturned blockss. A partially built stone staircase stood directly behind him. Kili looked into the massive expanse of the innards of Erebor, his eyes getting used to the darkness, the golden glow from sconces on the walls lighting the inside faintly. He stepped forward slowly, looking out upon dozens of staircases with hundreds of steps, and open walkways crossing everywhere, the ceiling unbelievably high, the multitudes of pillars as far as the eye could see, wide like ancient trees.

"Good heavens…" Kili whispered, eyes wide. His voice echoed in the cavernous expanse.

"Kili!" an overjoyed voice shouted in the distance. It was Balin, followed by Dwalin. Kili's eyes beamed and he ran to his kin's arms. Balin hugged him and slapped his back, holding his face, shaking his shoulders.

"I don't believe it! Here you stand, alive and well…I never thought I would see you again, son…" Balin said, joy bursting from him.

"You gave us quite a scare, you pain in the arse…" Dwalin said, throwing his arm around Kili's neck, nearly wrestling his young cousin to the ground in a rather violent hug. Bofur and Oin appeared from the shadows. Bofur nearly floored Kili with an enormous, ecstatic tackle.

Oin came up close to Kili and held his face between his hands. He looked at him up and down and turned him around roughly, patting him down, examining him. Kili tolerated it all with a smirk on his face. Oin guffawed and nodded.

"None the worse for wear, my boy. You look well. She did a good job, laddie." Oin said. Kili pursed his lips and nodded.

"That she did." Kili said, his heart aching for a second at the reference to his beloved healer. Fili saw the slight change in Kili's expression, though.

"We owe a great debt to the elf who healed him…and obviously continued to take care of him." Fili said, his face growing a bit serious. Other dwarves came out of the darkness and surrounded Kili and Fili. They all hugged and clasped arms with him. Kili shook off his melancholy and smiled at all the familiar, beloved faces of the company that surrounded him.

They bathed him with chatter and laughter, rough, rib crushing slaps, hair mussing and bone breaking embraces. The started giving him grief about the elven cloak and clothes he now wore and asking him questions faster than he could possibly answer as they moved further into Erebor en mass. Kili felt overwhelmed, yet soothed by the closeness and concern of everyone around. They had missed him.

"So…where is Thorin?" Kili asked, looking about. "And Bilbo?" he said.

"He is where he has been nearly every waking minute since we came." A clear, familiar voice rang out from one of the nearby staircases. Kili whipped around, and saw Bilbo. His clothes and large, hairy feet were covered in stone dust and he looked haggard and worried, but that was not unusual for the nervous hobbit. On his face was a darkness and an exhaustion that was not so usual, Kili felt. Bilbo continued down the stairs and managed a sincere smile. "It is truly good to see you well, Kili." He said.

All the dwarves looked around at Bilbo, and in that instant, the mood around Kili changed a bit. Kili looked around at everyone's faces, a bit puzzled. Balin pursed his lips and looked over at Fili.

"Uh…you and Bilbo should take him to see Thorin." He said. He looked at the others. "He will want to speak with you. We will stay here and…uh…finish up." He said, a forced smile on his face. "We are building back the stair and repairing the terrace over the door. We are almost there, most likely will be done before supper." He said, the elder statesman in Balin coming out. All the other dwarves nodded and agreed, giving Kili a few last wide smiles before going to work. Kili felt something was terribly wrong.

"I just came from talking with him. He is this way." Bilbo said. As they walked along, he shuddered. "Supper…you mean one of the thousand ways Bofur tries to make cram edible…ugh." Bilbo said.

"At least some things have not changed…" Kili mumbled, with a smirk to Bilbo. Bilbo returned the smirk.

They led Kili through the halls of Erebor, whose eyes were wide, staring all about. Kili spun around, constantly looking at every new terrace, around every turn, gawking at every carved pillar, in awe of the grandeur that was Erebor. The place was far more majestic, by orders of magnitude than Kili would have ever imagined. He walked slowly, Fili staying by his side. They did pass by several areas that were destroyed, having fallen prey to the bulk of the dragon in its fury. Kili gasped audibly when he was led into the chamber where the piles of gold began, nearly losing his footing.

"Oh, by all the gods…" Kili gasped as he gazed over the cavernous depths, the mountains of glittering gold and jewels everywhere to be seen. He stared at it in shock for a few minutes.

"Takes your breath away…doesn't it?" Fili said, patting his brother on the back, and then he walked into Kili's sights. Fili looked at his brother closely, carefully, as if looking for something. "I would have gladly given it all away if I had to, if it meant your life." Fili said softly. Kili looked back at his brother, touched. He pursed his lips.

"And I, for you, of course." Kili said, his eyes focused on his brother, a questioning smile on his face. Fili nodded, seemingly a bit relieved. "What is wrong?" Kili asked, quietly. Fili pursed his lips.

"You will see for yourself soon enough." Bilbo said, a few steps ahead of them, with an ominous tone.

A few minutes later, they led Kili to the large horde room with the thrones. The three ornate stone thrones stood vacant, yet were weighty, somehow. Thorin was walking in front of one, rich blue vestments hung on his hunched shoulders.

Kili looked at his uncle warily; he seemed burdened, laden with worry and wild eyed. Kili sighed to himself, remembering what Thranduil told him about the curse of gold. Thorin turned around, approached them slowly and looked at him in awe.

"Kili…" Thorin said, his voice strained as he approached Kili.

"Thorin…" Kili said, nodding, his face initially stern. He knew Thorin was not usually one for overt sentiment. Thorin stepped slowly and intentionally, to stand immediately in front of Kili, and held his shoulders, his eyes softening. Kili sucked in a breath. Never had he seen his uncle so… emotional.

"My heart nearly broke when I thought I would never see my youngest sister-son again." He whispered softly, pulling Kili to him, pressing his head to Kili's forehead firmly in the dwarrow display of deep affection. "I thank the gods you are alive." Kili's restraint and trepidation drained out of him and he closed his eyes, basking in the warmth his uncle so infrequently showed. Kili grasped his arms.

"I am happy to be here, alive." Kili said. Thorin smiled and patted him on the shoulders, putting his hand on his cheek with a wide smile.

"Welcome…son of Durin, the last of my heirs…Welcome to the great treasure horde of Thror!" He said, turning around, opening up his arms, smiling widely with a look that almost seemed crazed, to Kili. Kili looked all around him.

"This is immense…it is almost too much…" Kili whispered, overwhelmed.

"This…this is our gold, our treasure, our good fortune…" Thorin said, taken aback, almost angered. "There is never…too…much…gold." Thorin said, in a low voice that made a chill run down Kili's back. "Understand?" Thorin boomed, staring at him, wide eyed. Kili blinked, his internal fears all screaming at once. Kili looked over at Fili and Bilibo, who were staring at Thorin with hardened eyes, apprehension in their gaze.

Ah…this was what was so wrong…so very wrong.

"Yes." Kili said, nodding. "Of course." He acquiesced, sensing it was not the time for him to disagree with his uncle. Thorin walked up slowly to the ornate stone thrones. He glanced at them fondly. "How I longed to have my nearest and dearest kin here with me, where we will occupy these thrones again...together!." Kili took a few steps up to the throne in the center, the top of it damaged, scored. Kili knit his brows.

"What happened there?" he asked, innocently enough. Kili glanced over at Fili, who was now covering his eyes, and Bilbo, who was looking up at the ceiling, exasperated. Kili gulped. His question provoked a rage in Thorin.

"That was where the Arkenstone was before that vile serpent tore it from its rightful place!" Thorin growled loudly, is hands in fists. He looked all around the piles of gold. "It is here, it within these walls, I know it!" He said, looking about with a face of fierce anger. "Unless…someone is keeping it from me…" he whispered, just loud enough so Kili could hear. Kili was taken aback in shock at what he was witnessing…

"We have been looking for it, and will continue to, uncle." Fili interjected, "We will find the Arkenstone." He said, convincingly. Thorin seemed to shudder, and stand up straight, as if shaking something off. He looked back at Kili with a mild smirk, and then his brows knit.

"What are you wearing?" He asked, an incredulous look on his face. Kili looked down at his elven clothes. They actually looked fine but…Thorin's face turned into a snarl.

"Well…these were the only things available…" Kili said, a small smile on his face. "Better than being naked." Thorin nodded.

"You are in Erebor now. We have the finest vestments fit for dwarves here." He said. Thorin walked around Kili, looking him up and down. "You are about the same size now that my brother Frerin was. Come." He said, waving Kili along. Fili and Bilbo looked at each other, relieved, and rushed to follow behind.

Within several hours, Kili was dressed in head to toe in the finest dwarf vestments; soft cotton and silks, supple leathers with ornate stitching, buckles and guilded fasteners, which had all been sealed away in the wardrobes of the royal family deep in the walls of Erebor. Kili wore the clothing in his usual, loose casual fashion. Even though Kili was not a fussy sort, it felt good to wear something so exquisite made for his build, his body type. Thorin walked around him, a pleased expression on his face.

"There…that is much, much better." Thorin said, placing a finely crafted long brass chain mail tunic on Kili's shoulders. Kili was pleased to find it was surprisingly light, and fit him snuggly. Kili fastened it on im, looking down, pondering.

"Uncle…I must speak to you." He said, in a low voice. Thorin's head tilted to the side.

"Yes, Kili, what about?" he asked, with a suspicious glance.

"The elves and people of Laketown … they will be coming here…" Kili said, in a low voice. Thorin's face turned back into that stern expression.

"What for, pray tell." He said. Fili was nearby, leaning against the wall. He stood at attention. Kili folded his arms, and walked around Thorin, speaking softly and urgently.

"The men from Laketown will come to bequest monies from you. Smaug destroyed their town…they were homeless, without shelter, destitute… they feel they are owed."

"It is a shame Smaug destroyed their town. As I full well know, that those who have survived dragonfire, they should be grateful for their lives." Thorin said, patronizingly, his reddened, pale blue eyes looking out into the distance. "They should thank their lucky stars that they have Dale to turn to, which is what they have done." Thorin said, crossing his arms. "Why is their lot a concern of mine?" Thorin asked, with a darkness in his eyes and a cold gaze. Kili could not believe his ears. Fili approached them both, a concerned look on his face.

"The people of Laketown helped us, because you promised you would share in the riches found in this mountain…"Kili said. "They paid a harsh price for giving us that aid, Thorin." He continued. Thorin glanced his way.

"I see." He said. "I would share the riches in the form of trade with the Lakemen, not largesse."

"But the people of Laketown have nothing. They have lost everything!" Kili said, becoming impassioned. Thorin glared at his nephew. He then grabbed the pile of Killi's old elven clothes and walked heavily towards the front of Erebor. Kili, Fili, and Bilbo followed. As he approached the entrance gate he ran into Balin and several others. Thorin looked around at everyone.

"Balin…how far along are you with the gate?" He asked, harshly. Balin wiped his brow and ambled up to Thorin.

"The stairs are done, and so is the terrace, Thorin. Why?" He asked, sensing the leader of their company was a bit miffed.

"It seems we may have some visitors sooner or later." Thorin said to Balin. "I want to make sure we can greet them properly." He said, darkly, turning around. "Arrange to have someone at watch at all times." He said, his brows furrowing. "Let them come. " he muttered. Thorin walked back to the treasure horde, everyone in tow. He turned to Kili again.

"And what do the elves want?" Thorin said, looking at Kili sheepishly "Why do they come here laden with armor and arms to congratulate us? Did the dragon smite their forest as well? Did it burn like ours once did?" he growled. Kili sighed deeply, wondering for a second if he should continue. Kili walked up closer.

"No. King Thranduil and the elves came to help the people of Laketown... and escorted them to Dale." he said in a low voice, and Thorin whipped around angrily, staring at Kili.

"They helped them?" Thorin asked, in disbelief. "I don't believe it... What else did that accursed king say…" Thorin spat. Kili held on to his uncle's arm and whispered in his ear.

"King Thranduil told me he came to their aid, because he said he would never make such a grave mistake again to refuse to help allies in dire need…like what he did to you andour brethren. And for that mistake, he is regretful. " Thorin just stared at him, his blue eyes harsh. "Uncle…both the elves and Bard have shown me kindness, healed my wounds, fed and clothed me."

"And also imprisoned you, I hear." Thorin growled. Kili pursed his lips and grunted.

"Yes, imprisoned me. But that was because of a quarrel I had with Thranduil." He said, shooting a warning glance to Fili, who he hoped would keep his mouth shut about the occurrences on the embankment. "We both lost our temper…"

Kili nearly cringed as his uncle threw his elven clothes in a nearby fire, mumbling curses barely fit to mention around grown men…Kili waited until Thorin settled down before speaking again.

"I know I am but one dwarf, but they did not need to help me…yet they did. Now feel we should try to make amends...we should not continue this malice. All King Thranduil desires is the starlight diamonds; as those stones are dear to him, and his kin." Thorin looked at Kili, wide eyed, in disbelief.

"Don't you see? They wish to take of our treasure…" Thranduil said, angrily.

"No, Thorin …They wish an end to this feud. With all the riches of Erebor, surely we can spare a few diamonds and some gold to secure a lasting allegiance with the men of Dale and the wood elves…"he said.

"They have poisoned your brain, boy…they want our riches for their own." Thorin acused.

"What I said is all they seek! Thranduil does not seek gold or other riches. The men of Laketown, however will need more to rebuild their town…"

"None of this is my concern. What is ours is ours to keep and use at our disposal…not to distribute to every one coming with open begging hands…"

"Uncle…surely you realize…these are not extreme requests…please, see the reason in it!" Kili said.

"Erebor did not grow great by giving away that which the dwarves worked hard to harvest from the earth, riches we have earned!" he shouted. "The answer is no!" He bellowed.

Kili stood there shocked, his heart dropping. Had all reason escaped him?

"Come." Thorin said, grabbing Kili roughly. All the dwarves followed Thorin and Kili to the place where the gold covered everything. Thorin let go of Kili's arm and entered into the gold, as if he was walking into a warm stream. He raised his arms and turned around slowly.

"This gold is ours alone…" Thorin said to the rest of the dwarves. "We shall not part with any of it under threat. Not one…single piece…." He growled, in a deep, unearthly tone.

Kili turnedslowly and headed to the gate, in shocked disbelief.

"Kili. " Fili said, urgently, following him. "Kili…what are you doing?" Fili said, grabbing his arm. Kili looked around, sadness and anger in his eyes.

"I cannot remain here." Kili moaned. "I need some air. I will take the first watch."

"Should you?" Thorin said bitterly, in a low tone.

Kili heard what his uncle said, and it chilled him to the bone. He stopped in his tracks, turning around, looking at his uncle with incredulity.

Balin and Dwalin, who were both close to Thorin, heard it and gasped. Balin pursed his lips and shook his head, hanging it low. Everyone was silent as Kili's expression turned from bitter shock to a darkness that made everyone, including Thorin, stare.

"You are my kin and my King, Thorin…" Kili said, teeth clenched, voice low and growling, his body nearly shaking, fists clenched, red eyed with fury and frustration. "I nearly lost my life for this quest. Do not…question my loyalty." He said, turning back around, heading to the gate again.

Fili looked between his brother and Thorin, in surprised shock. He pursed his lips and breathed hard.

"I go with him." He said, looking hard at Thorin. Fili ran after his brother, catching up with him in a few long strides.

"Kili…please wait…" Fili urged, desperately. Kili did not stop until his brother grabbed hold of his arm. "He did not mean it, Kili." Kili looked back at is beloved brother, disillusionment stark on his face.

"So, this is Erebor." Kili took a few steps around Fili, looking around sadly "It is as grand as the stories have claimed." He said, a reticent lookon his face. "For most of my life I dreamed of this day, Fili, when we would stand together in these halls. But now that day is shadowed with hate and greed, my brother." Kili said, in a bitter whisper.

Fili stood in front of Kili, and he placed his hands on his brother's wide shoulders. He looked him straight in the eyes.

"I am so sorry." Fili said. Kili pursed his lips, and looked towards the gate. He dipped his head and his eyes rose to meet the sad fawn eyes of his brother. Kili felt he was coming apart at the seams with all the emotions raging within him.

"I…I think I just need a little time alone to clear my head, Fili. It has been an unbelievably long, ridiculous day…" Kili said, exasperated, shaking his head.

Fili nodded and let him be after giving his brother's shoulder a firm squeeze, and he walked away, silently. Kili watched Fili go into the depths of Erebor, and then he started plodding up the steps to the terrace, his heart heavy and aching. He could not help but to hope all that had happened was worth it …

All Kili yearned for, with every bone in his body at that very moment, more than all the gold in Erebor, more than anything on Middle Earth, was to be wrapped in the strong, loving arms of _his_ elf…


	28. Chapter 28

**Author's Note:**

**I thank you all for your patience. The next few will thankfully come quickly I think, as I struggle to detail this complex tale. I have the important parts already written. Oh the times, they are a-changin… **

**RIP Dr. Spock. We will miss you. **

**As always, my loves, thank you for your reviews and well wishes: Vi-Violence, mfaerie32, Tuonra, moonpetals16, Haku'slover18, Karmakitten, Feursuoh, Celebrisilwth, Amber85, KaramelKat, Margaritasc, kasmira36, Adm. J. Kirk McGill…**

**AW**

* * *

><p>It was a chilly morning highlighted by a hazy, pale sun that greeted him the next day in Dale when Bard awoke before everyone else and went to make his morning rounds. Dale was once great, that was easy to see. Most of the survivors family groups had found places to stay, for the sturdier structures were still mostly intact and many of the roofs still able to give shelter from the light snowfall last night. Destroyed, mangled and twisted old trees and smashed furniture was used as fuel for the fires now in the hearths throughout the town. Bard thought upon the overnight, and his unenviable position this day…<p>

Once Bard had returned the previous dusk, he helped his kids get comfortable in the new space they now called home, lit a fire, and they fell to sleep quicker than he thought they would, given all that had happened. Yet sleep would not take Bard; he remained awake until the middle of the night, and eventually he rose and wandered the old, now quiet, littered streets as the ever watchful rows of soldier elves stood on the terraces and atop the walls above.

Bard felt strangely accustomed in this place that was new to him. But Dale was not new to his ancestors. The town looked and felt damaged, and echoed with memory, and hurt. One could imagine Dale was laden with spirits of those taken for no good reason too quickly by a dark beast. Within these walls, the weight of responsibility for his people rested firmly upon his shoulders; he felt it more now than ever. He, a lowly bargeman, was now who the people of Laketown looked to for leadership, for salvation. Could he live up to the task?

He looked up towards the hill and saw the low light of the small fire Tauriel said she would maintain, wondering how it was that all had come to this, an apparent silent standoff between elves and man on one side, and a small company of dwarves in an abandoned, rich kingdom on the other. He glanced up at the soldier elves again. On a hunch, he climbed the sloping streets and steps up to the old hall of Dale, where the King of Mirkwood now resided. Upon his arrival, the guards that surrounded the king's quarters moved aside for him, before he could even bow his head and gingerly ask to see their king.

"Enter, Bard." He heard the elven king's low voice beckon from within. Bard walked up the stairs to the highest level.

Thranduil was at the far end, beyond the smashed walls of the dome, close to the edge of what would be called a terrace now. He had his royal head turned away, his pale, long hair loose, without a crown, yet perfect over a rich crimson robe that flowed down beyond his feet. Bard entered in between the stands of the grand tent of the king, pausing for a second to nod his head in reverence.

"My Lord Thranduil." Bard said. Thranduil's penetrating eyes turned upon Bard.

"You amble about til hours late this night." Thranduil said.

"Aye…and so do you." Bard said, approaching him slowly, coming to stand a respectable distance next to the great king. Before their feet now lay the flickering fires of Dale, its great walls, and the bridges beyond, and in the dark distance, the fires without and within Erebor glowed. Bard looked over at it and breathed deeply.

"Sleep does not take elves as it does men in the dark hours of the night." Thranduil said, turning his head to gaze back at the bowman. "Does an unsettled soul bid you wake?" Bard nodded, looking insistently into the intense grey orbs, which seemed a bit shaded.

Thranduil strolled over to his crystal decanters and poured a shimmering burgundy glass of wine. From the looks of it, Bard thought, many such glasses had been poured this night already. He raised the mostly empty holder to Bard in a sign of offering. Bard smiled, but politely refused with a shake of the head and a raised hand.

"I am worried about what the future holds between the peoples of Dale and Erebor, now that other than a dragon now oversees these lands." Bard said. Thranduil guffawed lightly and glanced over to Erebor.

"The dwarves are not being very engaging. Surely they must know we have arrived." Thranduil said, a smirk on his lips. "They have not even yet sent out a party in greeting…"

"Yes, I am sure they know we are here; but with the armed elven host upon our walls, from their perspective, it may not seem welcoming." Bard retorted. He leaned in a bit. "Thorin may be many things, but he is no fool." Thranduil huffed, and turned around to Bard with little flourish.

"Truth be told, my good man, I have not only come to this valley to act as escort or defend if dark creatures descend upon Dale and the mountain." Thranduil said, staring out across the land, to the opening of the Lonely mountain. "I came to reclaim something of mine…" Thranduil said, his glare one that could melt stone.

"What is that?" Bard said.

"There are gems in that mountain I too desire… gems of pure starlight…The white gems of Lasgalen." Thranduil said, with eyes widening, as if gazing upon their beauty right then and there. "I will see them finally returned to me…by force if need be." Thranduil growled, his hard gaze now back upon Bard.

"By force to what end? Would you go to war over a handful of gems?" Bard said. Thranduil glared at him.

"The heirlooms of my people are not so easily forsaken." He snapped. Bard's throat tightened.

"My people too have a claim upon the riches within that mountain." He insisted.

"True." Thranduil said, sheepishly. "But Thorin may be now mad with gold and may not agree."

"I still believe we first try reason." Bard insisted. He thought for a second about Kili, and his hope that the young dwarf would help, but thought against talking about it. It would do no good to bring up those memories, given what happened between Thranduil and Kili. He breathed a slow breath. "So much ill will has fallen upon that damned treasure, I would only ask for what is owed us, what we need to resettle, no more." Bard said. "I will try anything to avoid more bloodshed and death…we have seen enough of that." He insisted. Thranduil looked at Bard with wide, almost sorrowful eyes. Yet like a dark veil, anger again colored him.

"Think what you must of me, but know this… I do not desire needless bloodshed." Thranduil said in a dark, foreboding tone. "Even the blood of stubborn dwarves." Bard straightened up and looked at Thranduil in the eye.

"I think of you as an invaluable ally of my people, my lord." Bard said sincerely, not wishing to offend. "I know you have within you the wisdom of the ages and are duly just. I know you will do what is both prudent and necessary." Bard said, his hand on his chest and his head down with deference. Thranduil looked away.

"If you still wish to negotiate with the dwarf, I will not deter you." Thranduil said, lips pursed. He took a deep drink of his cup and turned back to Bard. "But if Thorin does refuse; we will have no choice but to become more forceful in the following days." He said, stroking his glass lightly, a stern, almost wicked expression on his face.

"Of course, my Lord. For all our sakes." Bard agreed. Thranduil looked back at him with warning, and turned around, walking a few steps.

"Good luck on your discussions in the morrow, Bard." He said. "You will need it." Thranduil said, looking down upon his now empty glass of wine, pausing to look at Bard. "Are you sure you do not want any?" Bard smirked, shook his head and looked down.

"I think I will take that drink after all." He murmured.

Thranduil and Bard walked back into the tent, and after pouring Bard a glass of wine, Thranduil sat upon a grandiose chair, a throne in situ, of sorts. Thranduil looked thoughtfully out the gaping hole in the dome, his eyes drawn to a single, soft flicker of light upon a foothill of the southern spur of the mountain. Thranduil's expression changed before Bard, to one of questioning suspicion.

"Who now tends the fire now in the fort on the rise the dwarves call Raven Hill?" He asked.

"A sentinel, my lord, to warn us at first sight if anything untoward comes this way from the north or west." Bard answered, hoping to all the gods the questions would cease there…

Thranduil looked at Bard with an unwavering stare, laced with a touch of knowing…yet he did not further his questioning. The great king stood up and walked slowly back to the edge of the terrace, looking up at the hill. Bard followed behind him slowly. They stood quietly; Bard drank every last drop of wine from his glass, the tension making him thirst.

"Bard…did your children ever disobey you…betray you?" Thranduil asked, his eyes distant, his face with a forlorn expression beneath a stony gaze.

"No, my Lord, but there is time yet for that; they are still young." Bard said, pursing his lips. Thranduil glanced back at him briefly, then continued his dark stare into the night.

"But they respect you." Thranduil said, in a low voice, bitterly. "And love you." he said, almost wistfully.

"Even so, my Lord…" Bard continued carefully, disturbed by the discussion. "One day, they may very well do such things that I feel they betray me." Bard said. Thranduil grunted and shook his head.

"You expect such insolence?" Thranduil questioned, a slight wrinkle between his brows.

"No, but…children…I know they come into their own, with their own will and way." Bard answered, pensively. "If I have brought them up as I should have, I trust they will do what they feel they must, even to the opposition of my wishes, even if it offends me." Bard said. "As I age, so will they… and wisdom and wit must care for them beyond the time when I cannot." Thranduil sighed and glanced back again, a bit longer this time.

"And what if they commit the most grave of offenses against you, what do you then?" Thranduil said, in a barely audible voice. Bard stood still, humbled. He felt the great king was opening up to him in ways he could not have imagined. Thranduil had probably never been opposed, ever, in his long life. Bard blinked his eyes, bewildered, pursed his lips and looked down, thinking for a moment.

"I would try to remember how much I love them..." Bard said, with the image of his beloved children in his mind's eye. "…and try to eventually forgive them."

"There is no freedom to forgive, at times." Thranduil said, his voice lowered, seeming a bit darker. An awkward moment of silence grew between the unlikely allies. Bard nodded and looked down at his empty goblet of wine.

"Forgiveness…sometimes, my lord, can itself be freedom." Bard replied.

* * *

><p>Tauriel watched over the landscape as the coming morning slowly, moment by moment, turned the surrounding lands from black, to grey, then into dampened colors as the morning haze made everything seem flat, dimensionless. Kili had eventually retired from his watch in the pre-dawn hours, so she tired from looking towards Erebor. The night was not as bad as she had expected, but she was beginning to feel a bit lonely. As the sun finally burned more of the wispy haze from the sky, she saw and heard a young man climbing up the mountainside. She smiled and waved;Bard had sent his son there as promised, quite early. When Bain finally reached up to the top of the hill, he looked around, in awe, wide eyed.<p>

"Wow…this is great!" Bain said, and then he pulled his coat closer. "Cold though…" Tauriel smiled at the young man.

"Well if you think so about the morning, you would not have liked the night chill." She said. Bain nodded and looked up at her a bit shyly.

"Da just wanted me to come here to see what it was like… up here... with breakfast… and, um, to see if you needed anything ." Bain said. Tauriel smirked.

"He is checking on me." She said. Bain grimaced and shrugged, nodding. Tauriel laughed and patted the boy on the back. "I know… don't worry. Your fathers concern just means he cares. And, to be truthful, I certainly don't mind the company." She said. She tilted her head to the side. "Well, let me show you inside where it is warmer…" she said, as she led Bain into the fort.

Tauriel and Bain ate breakfast and then she looked on, following at a close distance on as he wandered around the old, dark fort, picking up interesting artifacts, inspecting weapons, all the while telling her about their settling into Dale. He finally looked up at her with an inquisitive look. Tauriel instinctively knew the conversation was about to get more personal.

"So…if you don't mind me asking…" Bain started, then he paused, the skin on his young cheeks taking on a ruddy hue. "oh…never mind." He said, looking down, flipping the short dwarf sword now in his hand around awkwardly. Tauriel pursed her lips and stood still, until his eyes rose to hers. He seemed almost embarrassed.

"What do you want to know?" Tauriel laughed internally. From the looks of Bain, he was quite young, but not still a child. Tauriel was not so old as to forget it; this age between child and adulthood she remembered only too well…such an uncomfortable, awkward stage in life it was…

"I don't mean to pry…" he said, shaking his head.

"Now, now. If you are to be coming here calling upon me as a friend does, you should be able to speak to me as one." she said, gently. Bain looked at her and took a deep breath.

"Why did you help the dwarf? I mean…I saw what you did in our house at Laketown…and Da told me what you did for him yesterday…" he said, pursing his lips. Tauriel looked at Bain seriously, trying to formulate an answer, but her attention was drawn by distant sounds of a horse galloping on rocky terrain. She stood up and went out on the terrace closest to where they were.

There in the distance, she saw a horse galloping over the bridge, towards Erebor alone, a rider atop with a vestment of faded blue. She shaded her eyes. It was Bard. By that time, Bain was besides her.

"It is your father…" She said, looking at Bain. His eyes widened and he looked into the valley.

"Yes…he said he would be speaking to the dwarves today…or trying to, at least." Bain said, with a worried, slightly disappointed expression. "I wanted to go with him. He would not let me." He huffed. Tauriel looked between him and Bard and nodded.

"That conversation is most likely not one that the dwarf would have with an audience. " She said. Curiosity, however gripped her. "But it would be an interesting one…"

"I know…but I do worry for Da…" Bain admitted. "I fear the dwarf does not think much about any but himself and his kin." She looked at Bain with a slightly concerned look.

"Well, would you like to get closer?" she said. Bain's eyes opened up and he nodded eagerly, his dark, wavy locks loosely bouncing around his head.

Tauriel and Bain made their way stealthily and quickly over the rocky terrain and climbed up to a ridge on the sheer face of the mountain, about as close as they could get to the doors of Erebor without being seen. They crouched below the jagged stone, and sat silent as statues, just as Bard approached the entrance of Erebor.

As they looked on, Thorin, Fili, Kili and Dwalin appeared at the terrace above the door with weapons in hand as Bard slowed and paused before the bridge. Tauriel sucked in a breath as she focused on Kili, who was now standing next to his beloved brother, his uncle on the other side. He was wearing his golden mail, the royal blue vestment peeking out underneath. His expression was one of sternness, brows knit, shoulders squared, an angulated sword in his grasp. Thorin looked down at Bard with a harsh, slightly disapproving expression.

"Hail, Thorin, son of Thrain. We are glad to find you alive beyond hope." Bard said loudly.

"Why do you come to the gates of the King under the mountain armed for war, yet say you are glad that I live?" Thorin said, unyielding in his expression, making it obvious he was not willing to spend nary a second on niceties. Bard pursed his lips; already he saw this was not going at all the way he would have liked. Stubborn dwarves…He looked down at the large stone door within the besieged entrance.

"Why would the King under the mountain shut himself in, like a robber in his hole?" Bard said, holding on to his patience. Certainly Thorin would know what their stance looked like.

"Perhaps it is because I am expecting to be robbed…by those who approach my gate with pleasantries as if I cannot see beyond their shoulders." Thorin spat. Bard shook his head and changed his tone.

"My Lord…we have not come to rob you…but to seek fair settlement." Bard said, earnestly. "Will you not speak with me, as men of honor do?" He pleaded. Thorin stood back a little away from the stone and seemed to ponder the question a second.

"Approach on foot." Thorin said, in a low voice, as he nodded slowly and tossed his head, turning around and slowly heading back out of view.

A large raven flapped effortlessly from the terrace on the face of Erebor. Tauriel's eyes followed it; it flew west, its cry echoing off the stone mountain face around them. Tauriel knit her brows…what was it with the ravens around this dwarf kingdom?

Bard wrinkled his brows and dismounted, staring at the stone door before him slowly. He stepped carefully over the bridge and stopped short when he heard a hollow scraping coming from the stone wall before him. A slim stone door swung open. Out came Thorin, looking every bit the King at this time; royal vestments on his shoulder, mail upon his chest. He had on a stony, dark expression, one that did not seemingly desire to negotiate.

Tauriel looked back down as the two men approached each other, just beyond the arching entrance. They spoke in low whispers.

"I can't hear them…" Bain said. Tauriel looked back at the boy, then back towards the confrontation. Tauriel listened intently, and recounted the conversation to Bain.

"Your father is speaking on behalf of the men of Laketown…and requesting that Thorin honor his pledge of a share of the treasure so that they can rebuild..."

"That he did promise…we all heard him." Bain said. Tauriel continued.

"Thorin is refusing to agree to anything while an armed host stands before him…the elves…" Tauriel informed.

"He has a point…" Bain said, looking back at Dale. "But we did not ask for it to be thus…"

"Bard is warning him that the elves will attack if they do not agree on some terms…" She said, her eyes growing wider with worry. In the distance, Thorin shook his head and turned away from Bard. "Thorin said he is not swayed by these threats…" Tauriel repeated. Bain's eyes grew wide with worry. Bard continued as they listened.

"He will not agree…I know it…" Bain whispered. Tauriel shushed him gently…

"Your father is calling on Thorin's conscience; insisting that their cause is just. He said the Lakemen helped them and Thorin brought upon them only ruin and death." Tauriel said. With that exchange, they saw Thorin turn around, obviously inflamed, and he started to speak loudly, so they could all hear.

"When did the men of Laketown come to our aid but for the promise of rich reward?" Thorin spat.

"A bargain was struck!" Bard insisted, their voices echoing. Thorin looked at Bard incredulously, shaking his head.

"A bargain? What choice did we have but to bargain our birthright for blankets and food? To ransom our future in exchange for our freedom?" Thorin growled. "You call that a fair trade?" Bard backed up a bit, turning around, his hand upon his beard.

Tauriel glanced back at Bain.

"I heard that one…" Bain said, his young brows knit. Tauriel nodded, and turned her attentions back to the doors of Erebor. She glanced up for a moment to where Kili stood. He too was looking over the bannister, his brother besides him, whispering to each other, eyes intent upon the conversation below. For seconds it was quiet. Then Thorin continued…

"Tell me, Bard the Dragonslayer…" Thorin said, as Bard spun around to look at him incredulously. "Why should I honor such terms?" Bard stood up straight, and came in a little closer to Thorin.

Tauriel heard what Bard said next, but Bain could not.

"Because you gave us your word." Bard insisted, in a low voice. "Does that mean nothing?"

Thorin looked at Bard, myriad of expressions crossing over his regal features. Then anger remained. He spun around and marched back into Erebor with this order…

"Begone! Ere the arrows fly!" Thorin shouted.

Bard stood in shock as Thorin walked away. Bard then balled his fists, grunting his disapproval in anger. The small stone passageway in the slab slammed shut after Thorin entered. Bard looked up to the top of the terrace, exasperated, where both Fili and Kili stood, looking on with disbelief and disappointment on their faces. They looked at each other and back at Bard, pursing their lips. Bard shook his head, anger and frustration on his fine features. He growled and got back on his horse, riding hard back to Dale.

Back up on the ridge, Bain fell back onto the irregular rocky ground in confusion and worry.

"What did Da say to get him so angry?" Bain asked Tauriel. Tauriel looked at Bain with sadness…

"Your father said that Thorin gave his word, and then asked him…if his word meant nothing." She said, quietly. Bain knit his brows and shook his head in confusion.

"But…by doing what he is doing…Thorin is going back on his word…" Bain said. "Right?" he asked the elf. Tauriel pursed her lips and shook her head.

"Thorin refuses to honor a devils bargin, a promise given under duress." She said, as Bain put his hand to his head and shook it.

"But it does not make sense…" he started, and then looked back at Tauriel. "To help us is the right thing to do…" Bain insisted. Tauriel shook her head sadly, dread coming over her.

"It is not that simple, to him…" She said.

"What does this all mean?" Bain moaned. "What will happen now?" Tauriel looked back at him and sighed.

"Nothing good shall come of this…for any of us." She said. Bain looked away, saddened, and started crawling out of the nook they had wedged themselves in, on his way back to the fort.

Tauriel stayed back for a moment, looking sadly back at Erebor. Fili and Kili were still up there, looking on as Bard rode away, shocked and disappointed. At this distance Tauriel could see every detail of their expressions, the designs on their outfits, but she could not hear the urgent whispers they were exchanging. She could only guess what the brothers were talking about. The fact was, their uncle and King had declared war on their neighbors, and the princes knew it.

Fili seemed more resigned, however, and he patted the leather pauldron on his brother's shoulder as he walked away from the terrace, shaking his head. Kili looked back at him briefly, then looked out over the dry, cold stark valley towards Dale, such worry and sadness on his face, it made Tauriel's chest ache. She saw his wide shoulders rise and fall with a large sigh, and then he hung his head in dismay. She practically felt Kili's anguish.

The least she could do was let Kili know she still lived, and was with him in spirit. Slowly, Tauriel stood up and quietly whistled three notes of a thrushsong as she looked intently at the dwarf on the ledge. She knew Kili heard her signal when his head popped up, his eyes wide as he scanned her way. Their eyes came into contact and she saw Kili gasp, a wisp of a smile fluttering over his lips as his mouth opened with surprise. Then she saw Fili come back, approaching Kili from behind and Tauriel dropped down out of view.

Tauriel held her breath and fought back the urge to stand up again. She knew she had to see Kili again…she just had to, but how? In any case, it would not be now. She crawled along, following Bain, out of sight, only rising when far enough away to not be seen.

* * *

><p>The evening came and stillness still occupied the space between Dale and Erebor. Kili stood as still as stone on the terrace just above the large, hulking opening of rock that was the entrance to Erebor, as stalwart and unblinking as the stone dwarves below. His black hair wafted freely with the brisk gusts, his sculpted brows were knit, his dark eyes and acute vision scanning the landscape endlessly. He was dressed in full amour, shiny, exquisitely shaped and formed, armor that molded and bent with every move of his muscular frame, as if he was there when they made it. He was also outfitted with clothes and boots below that fit him exactly; a homage to the craftsmanship of the dwarves that died long ago. But it all felt foreign.<p>

After the heated discussion at the gate, Thorin descended into Erebor with new rage, and bid them follow his orders intently. He insisted that it was now time to defend the kingdom. A bit stunned, all the dwarves went dutifully to the weapons horde of Erebor, where the most magnificent swords, arrows, shields, lances, armor, and mail was found. The craftsmanship was so fine that the blades were still sharp enough to split hairs, the maces perfectly balanced to heft. Kili had looked upon the store with pride, seeing with his own eyes the skill of his ancestors, his people. Yet, he was deeply troubled about the reason for the use of these fine instruments…mortal instruments to be used on elves and man...

Before him, the low light from torches and lamps in the newly reoccupied city of Dale flickered here and there, but all was silent. There were elves lining terraces all about the stone city. He looked over the outlines of the buildings, beyond where he could see. He blinked his eyes slowly, straining to see something he hoped he would but suspected he would not…a flash of red hair, a forest green tunic. He did see her once this day…for the briefest of moments, just a glimpse, so that he now thought it just a wishful vision, his eyes playing tricks upon him. He breathed a sigh, wondering if there would ever be any respite to this hole he now felt in his chest.

Kili remembered the joy he saw in his uncle's eyes when he saw him alive and well yesterday, but that was soon squelched by suspicion and accusation. That morning, when Kili retired from his watch, Thorin spent some time with him alone, as if to apologize for doubting him the night before. Kili relished the pride Thorin displayed when leading him around the halls, showing him the throne to sit in, as third in line, a position Thorin knew well when he was last in this, his kingdom. But with dread Kili also remembered the arguments that grew this afternoon, and in those beloved eyes, the intensity of purpose, but behind that…the burning embers of madness, flashing into flame. It seemed like the only other person willing to see it was their burglar, Bilbo, who was becoming more vocal and unbelieving of what he was witnessing in the leader of their company, their King. Bilbo spoke softly and urgently with Thorin several times this day, every time he left Thorin more disappointed, more worry knitting his brow. Thorin would not concede to reason. Kili recently, abruptly, left the heated discussion occurring in the throne room, volunteering yet again for the position as watch, as he had the day before.

It was better he leave the company of the other dwarves to make himself useful at night in this capacity, for he wanted to avoid discussions of war. Even more so, Kili was unable to sleep without dreams of gentle touches on porcelain skin; sparkling green eyes and rich, red lips; black and red hair falling together, which made him wake up aching, frustrated. And it was a good thing he was unable to eat, as well, for their supplies of food were not plenty. All in all, Kili was fairly miserable, even though he was with his kin, back in the halls of his ancestors, where he belonged. But the fact was he did not quite know where he wanted to be, anymore…

Kili heard the steady, strong steps approaching him up the stone stairs from the side. He turned to Fili as he came into view.

"Kili…" Fili nodded in greeting, his face a mask of concern and caution.

"Fili." Kili acknowledged in response, before turning his eyes again upon the fires of Dale. The brothers shared a silent, yet tense moment. Kili looked over at Fili. "You should be trying to get some sleep." He suggested.

"You should not just up and leave during such important discussions." Fili said. Kili rolled his eyes and grumbled.

"What discussions? Plans on waging war with the people who took us in, or the people who saved my life?" Kili snapped, staring hard at Fili. Fili shook his head.

"In the end there is no other choice. We have to defend the kingdom." Fili said. Kili guffawed and crossed his arms.

"How? We thirteen against the armies of men and elves?"

"Our brethren will come. From the Iron Hills. Thorin has sent word by raven…" Fili urged. Kili shot him a look and took a deep breath. "They will stand with us and fight."

"Brilliant. We rely on the flight of a mangy old bird for our survival. And even if Dain Ironfoot does come; what then? Bathe the valley in blood? What does that accomplish?" Kili ranted. "The perpetuation of hatred and malice. Rather than the pursuit of peace and the sharing of good fortune after such strife like a civilized people."

Fili pursed his lips and fell back against the stone wall, also frustrated.

"This is not as we wished or hoped it would be, Kili. I know." Fili said.

Again the silence arose between the brothers. Fili looked up at Kili, with a curious expression.

"Well…when are you going to talk to me?" He asked. Kili looked back at Fili, with a questioning, irritated glance.

"Talk to you about what?" Kili asked.

"What is the matter, Kili?" Fili said, approaching closer. "You have not been the brother I knew before since our return to Erebor." Kili stared into his brother's inquiring eyes.

"I don't know what you mean." Kili said, turning away, resuming his watch stance.

"I know something is troubling you, brother." Fili said softly, taking up residence against the bannister, well within Kili's visual frame. "You can't hide that from me." Kili resisted, but eventually, his eyes met his brothers' gentle hazel eyes.

"It's nothing." Kili insisted. Fili put his hand on his brother's armored shoulder.

"Now I know it is not nothing." Fili said. "And I feel it has little to do with what is happening here…"

Kili crossed his arms and turned away. Part of his heart was aching to tell his brother everything, to try to ease the pain eating away at his insides…He looked down, silently tracing the stones on the terrace floor. Fili easily saw his discomfort.

"What happened with the she-elf?" Fili asked quietly, his eyes hunting, searching Kili's face…Kili's blank mask faltered and he took a deep breath and looked away again. "Ah…so that's it." Fili said, walking around his younger brother.

"You won't understand." Kili said, softly, shaking his head. Fili rounded before him.

"Talk to me, Kili." Fili insisted. "I can't stand seeing you like this. I promise to try." Kili leaned up against the stone banister and took a few deep breaths, staring down. He looked up into the night. Into the stars…

"I miss her." Kili whispered. Fili knit his brows. "Tauriel…" Kili said, the word feeling sweet on his tongue, yet it stabbed him. He squinted.

Fili, to his credit, remained silent, despite his urge to groan in disbelief. Kili was always enamored with someone…

_Oh no, my brother has lost his heart yet again…this one is quite…unfortunate. Unreasonable. So wrong in so many ways…_ Fili thought to himself.

"Why?" Fili managed to sneak out, instead of his urge to chastise his brother. "She is very kind, but…"

"I…I love her." Kili said, his voice low and somber. Fili's shoulders dropped.

_Oh, no… this is serious…_ Fili sighed and closed his eyes, covering them. Fili uncovered his eyes and found his brother looking at him.

"You'll get over it. Eventually. Like all the other times." Fili said, trying to be helpful.

Fili remembered how Kili had a tendency to fall for women, ever since he was a tender youngling. Fili just did not understand those feelings, but their mother seemed to, and she coached Fili on how to soothe and tend to his passionate brother's propensities. Fili remembered having to learn how to talk with Kili, and remind him that his heart would not stop and he still would draw breath the next day every time he was disappointed. Fili hoped that he could convince him this time, and Kili would eventually see how hopeless it was to waste his energy on his feelings for this elf…there was no way she could feel the same way.

But yet, Fili thought back to Laketown. He had seen Tauriel with Kili; his brother was practically unconscious, yet Tauriel was holding his hand and looking at him with tenderness. And he recalled what he saw at the riverbed, when Kili and the red haired warrior stood close, and how Tauriel went up against her own king for his brother. At the very least, the she-elf cared about Kili, that Fili would admit. But love? No…no love could survive between dwarf and elf.

Kili looked up at the sky again, shaking his head. Kili was no longer the naive little brother Fili thought he was. These past few days had aged him more than the preceding three decades…

"This is not like any other time." Kili said, folding his arms around himself, walking slowly. "Tauriel _men amral, men tessu_." He breathed.

Fili gasped. What Kili had uttered in their sacred tongue was words of the deeply spiritual, sacred oath of dwarrow betrothal. It was never spoken lightly, for to do so would have been accursed blasphemy. The closest literal translation in Westron was 'she is my love, my everything.'

"Kili…stop talking like that. It is madness." Fili insisted. Kili walked around Fili slowly, the memories flowing over him, over his expressions. Fili saw it, and sensed the heavy sincerity in his brother's attitude.

"We spent several beautiful days in the woods..." Kili recounted. "I fell for her like no other before her." He looked at his brother, who was looking more and more incredulous. "We…spent the nights… together." Kili stammered.

"No, you can't mean it…" Fili whispered, shock and awe on his face. Kili pursed his lips.

"Oh yes." Kili said, looking at Fili sharply, just to make sure they were both thinking the same thing. "I do mean it." The message had been received, clearly. Fili stared at him, open mouthed and incredulous.

"By my beard…" Fili said, in wide eyed disbelief. "I did not even think that possible…between…" Kili nodded and opened his arms.

"Well, it is, I assure you, quite possible." Kili insisted. Then his eyes misted over and he stared into thin air, his eyes focusing in the distance. "And quite…amazing…" he said, longingly. Fili threw up his arms and huffed.

"Kili…I don't believe you did what you say…Ugh…everything about it is wrong…just everything." Fili growled. "How could you?" he questioned. Kili shook his head, a bit disappointed his brother was so rigid.

"Look, Fili, I know what you think; that I have done some heinous thing…but I tell you…" Kili said, holding his brother's shoulders. "I have never felt…so alive…so…happy…so…complete, as when I am with her." Kili whispered, his eyes filled with sincerity, staring into his brother's doubting ones. "Is that not love?" Kili questioned, his voice filled with emotion.

Fili pursed his lips, his armor being breached just a bit at his brother's insistence. Kili, his brother, the passionate, reckless, fearless young warrior that gave everything his all and never hesitated, and never looked back. He shook his head. What a mess he had gotten himself into…

"Kili…I don't know what it is…but I do see is this. You have lost your heart…and your mind." Fili said. Kili's face fell flat with disbelief and he backed away. "But I do believe you think you love her." Fili acquiesced, his lips pursed. Kili sighed. At least his brother believed that.

"Well brother, that is why I am the way I am. Walking around like one dead." Kili said, pursing his lips. "I am in love with a warrior elf, from a kingdom that will soon be at war with Erebor." Kili said, with a bitter guffaw. It hurt to think of her, but Kili did feel a little bit of that stifling weight off his shoulders, now that his brother knew.

"Alright, alright. If we must abandon reason for a moment, and we must, to even consider this." Fili said, breathing a frustrated sigh, waving his hands, walking around his brother. "Well, how does she feel?" he asked. "Does she…love you?" Fili asked, his voice low, his eyes squinting, as if just the thought was distasteful.

"She said she does…" Kili said, with a little hope, yet sadly. Fili groaned.

"Then you both have lost your wits." Fili huffed. "She should know better…she must be older and wiser than you…do you even know how old she is?" Fili asked.

"About 600 years…" Kili said. "Still quite young, for an elf, I think." Kili said, in a soft voice. Fili stopped short, looked at Kili, then looked in front of him, shaking his head with frustration.

"And what do you expect to do, run away and live together, alone? You cannot dwell in either world together, elf or dwarf." Fili said.

"We did not think upon such details before things…just happened…" Kili said, leaning back on the stone barrier, an exasperated look on his face. Fili took a few steps and then dropped his shoulders in realization. He looked back at Kili, a look of sadness on his face. Fili knew this of elves; like dwarves, they usually only promised their hearts but once in a lifetime, but the life of an elf was so much longer…

"She will live…well beyond your years, Kili." Fili said softly, shaking his head. "What then, for her?" Fili said, sadly, not wanting to chastise his brother any more. That would do no good.

"I know, Fili." Kili said, in an anguished whisper, leaning on the banister with his elbow, his face covered by his hands. "I know." Fili walked over next to him. He felt badly for Kili, because he knew that important, undeniable fact was hurting Kili. As it should, if he truly loved the elf…Fili took a deep breath and patted him on the back.

_Whee-ee-whit_

_T_he sound of a quiet, shrill whistle sounded in the night. It seemed to be coming from far away. Kili shot up, off the banister, his eyes wide, gasping. Fili jumped back. Kili looked around, his eyes searching…The last time he heard whistles like that, he was looking out over the quiet landscape, after Thorin and Bard held their so called "negotiations". When Kili looked around for the source of the whistle then, all he saw was the bright auburn flash of hair and the briefest of glances from a red haired elf, just before she disappeared behind a stone on the rise to his right …

"What? Its just a bird…" Fili said, looking out into the dark.

"No its not…" Kili whispered, before repeating the same three little whistles. He was answered, and it came from up on the rise nearby, to the right of the entrance again. Kili squinted.

Yes, in the dark, he could see it. The outline of a tall, elegant elf against the stars. She jumped down, out of view. Fili saw it too, and he turned to look to his brother. Kili swallowed hard and held his brother's shoulders.

"It is her…" he said, excitement in his eyes, and for the first time in days, a smile fluttered over Kili's lips. Fili pursed his lips. Kili looked back toward the rise and gasped, his heart feeling just a little bit lighter, despite the heavy conversation he had been having. The joy at seeing Tauriel wiped away his sadness . He looked at Fili. Fili had his arms crossed with an expression just as cross on his face. Kili pursed his lips and swallowed hard.

"Fili, I have to go to her…" Kili said. Fili looked as if he was about to explode.

"What?!" Fili responded, in a loud whisper. "Where are you going, what are you going to do?" Kili squeezed his brother's shoulders, with urgency.

"I don't know…Please, try to understand, brother. If I don't go now, I will never forgive myself…or you." Kili said, the true words hurting him to say. He knew the awkward position he was putting his brother in. Fili blinked at him, angry, disbelieving and hurt.

"You are crazy to go…what…what if it's a trap?" Fili countered. A calmness floated over Kili's face. He shook his head.

"It's not. I know it." He assured him. "Besides; I've already been her prisoner…it's not so bad." Kili said, with a small smile.

Fili huffed, and shook away his beloved brother's grasp. He glared at the rise. There she was again, crouched down, the long hair wafting in the breeze, about fifty paces closer to Erebor. The light was flickering from the torches, just a bit brighter there and he could see the intensity in her eyes, focused on Kili. She was waiting for Kili, this elf-warrior. Waiting for his little brother...

Fili looked back at Kili, and saw the hope and longing in his eyes, his face in a gentle smile, so much different than the blank stares of sadness that they had been since he walked into the lonely mountain a few days ago. Deep in his gut, Fili knew he had to let Kili go his way, but it made him fearful and sad…Fili stifled back his emotion. He was not yet ready for that…

"Promise me you will return, Kili." Fili said. Kili blinked, as if shaking off a spell. He looked into his beloved brother's angry, desparate eyes.

"Of course, Fili…" he said. "I will always stand by you." Kili said, his eyes softening.

"I mean it. If I don't see you by morning, I swear, I will hunt her down and kill her myself." Fili growled.

"Understood." Kili said, a serious expression on his face. He scampered on by his brother.

Fili huffed, and looked back towards the rise. Tauriel was standing now, patiently waiting, her wide eyes now soft, pinned on him. She crossed her arm over her chest and bowed her head to him, a stern expression on her face. Fili knit his brows. He eventually took the silent sign as that of thanks, and he returned the same stern expression and a small nod.

He had no reason to feel Tauriel had anything other than good intent for Kili. This foray was dangerous, for them both, that he knew. Now he was privy to their unlikely affair he felt a bit humbled, but greatly worried. What could they possibly expect from this? It could not possibly work…Fili took a deep breath and looked away. They were both mature enough to make up their own minds. Was it really his place to question his brother for his actions, to insist that he stick with reason and common sense, and stop what he considered madness, starting and perpetuating a relationship with an elf?

As he thought more about this, Fili looked on, in disbelief, as he saw his brother stealthily slide down the thick rope one side of the balcony. He was in his regal, his dark clothes, his armor removed, but his sword on his belt. For a second, a wave of concern gripped Fili…what was he doing out without his armor? The concern faded away as he saw Kili approach Tauriel, and he saw them join hands. Tauriel looked at Kili with a softness and sweetness Fili instantly remembered seeing before; the same look he saw on her face at the riverbed. The sight of them together both shocked and reassured Fili.

Who was he to deny them both, despite the fact that the mutual attraction came from such an unlikely source? He watched on as they both scrambled up the rise and over, disappearing into the night. But Fili still closed his eyes and prayed for his brother because there were other beasts in the night to be concerned about.

On the other hand, Fili realized two warriors together would fight a better fight than one, so he sighed and set his fear aside as he continued his silent, solitary watch. It just happened that one of those warriors was his brother, and the other, unbelievably, his elf lover.


	29. Chapter 29

**Authors Note:**

**Welcome to those who are new to LMTF.****Thank you those who choose to review; you are my strength: ****Amber85, Tuonra, Kasmira36, Celebrisilweth, Bigficfan, anddante, Haku's lover, Vi-violence, Margaritasc. **

**Patience, my dears.****You are due… **

**Need I say it?…Will have a bit of {{{{ ****heavy M (ok, explicit)****}}}}}****here, this chap is definitely NSFW.… same rules apply.****Without further ado…**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Kili and Tauriel jumped over the rocky edge to land on a narrow ledge between the rocks. Tauriel rushed along ahead, their hands still grasped together, wanting to get quickly back to the fort, away from the open, out of view from sharp elven or dwarf eyes. But her dwarf had other ideas.<p>

Kili stopped and turned her around, grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. As she turned, his hand held her face, and his lips pressed hard into hers. It was obvious he was not willing to wait nary a second more for her kiss…This caught Tauriel off guard, and she nearly faltered on the shifting stones, but his strong arm wrapped around her. She soon closed her eyes as her hands found their way against his muscular chest, anxiously gripping his clothes, and she melted into his passionate kiss, his scent and taste and touch overwhelming her senses...

Kili's kiss was urgent and hard and deep and it stole her breath; she gasped as his mouth hungrily found its way past the line of her jaw, and then took possession of her neck, his hand floating down her skin, his fingers against her spine, his thumb tracing her chin before sensually sliding down her neck to its base. Her chest ached as a groan escaped his throat, and his warm breath spread warmth on her skin, his downy beard sending shivers over her body. Her eyes fluttered closed and she wrapped her arms around his solid shoulders as he pressed her body against him. Her body recognized his firm, compact build, and the immediacy and intensity of the wave of desire she felt shocked her.

"Kili…wait…" she managed to say, in discrete, gasping whispers, even though her body was screaming for quite the opposite. She felt Kili take a deep breath and press his head against her chest, his other arm moving down and around her, so that he now held her in a tight embrace. She cradled his head against her, her hands buried in his hair as she gently curled her fingers into his scalp.

"I can't help myself…" He whispered, his voice low, tinged with emotion. "I just missed you so…" She kissed his head, and smoothed his hair, gently urging his head to tilt up. Her heart warmed as she saw the face of her handsome dwarf, now so close…

"Oh, Kili. I missed you too…" she said, a smile on her face as she stroked his golden cheek. "But we should move along, to a safer place…one more private." Kili looked up at her dotingly, his eyes worshiping, adoring her…then his expression changed. Tauriel knit her brows…

Kili's fingers rose and he shakily, gingerly touched her cheek…the very place where the shard of her bow had scored her skin from Thranduil's attack, where a long, slender, healing scar now was.

"Oh, Tauriel." He sighed sadly, as he focused on her cheek, his expression one of dismay and worry. She placed her soft hand against his and held it against her cheek for a moment. Tauriel pursed her lips as she looked hard into his eyes.

"Come…" she said, without another word, and she pulled him along the ridge.

Kili could hardly believe they were together, yet again…but the cost...was it too much? His heart felt a stab when he saw the scar on her cheek, sadness and anger rose up within him. No one was to hurt _his_ elf…but would she even let him protect her?

Kili scampered up over the irregular rocks, keeping up behind Tauriel, looking ahead in the dimly lit night beyond the shadowy outline of her slender, graceful form against the sky, where a break in the clouds revealed thousands of points of light. She stood up for a second and he gasped… his elf seemed to be where she belonged, a powerful beauty surrounded by the stars. He continued on, following behind at a close distance, his eyes wandering over her slim, muscular build as she effortlessly continued the climb.

"Where are we going?" He asked, just curious, the rational question finally coming to mind. It was a testament to his unconditional trust in her.

"Up there, on the hill, where the fire is alight." She said, looking towards a towering set of ruins ahead and above them. Kili blinked his eyes, and the memories of the stories his mother told him about her escape from Erebor welled up in his mind.

"This fort is a dwarf outpost…The Fort at Raven Hill, I believe it is called." He said, catching up to Tauriel as she looked back at him with curiosity.

"I see…that explains much." Tauriel said, nodding. "The ravens roost all over this hill, in the towers as well."

"These birds are close allies of the Dwarves of Erebor." Kili said, walking ahead of her. "They are informants and messengers of Kings." He said, looking back at her. "Raven Hill was a refuge, for my kin. They escaped the firestorm to here, after they were expelled from Erebor by the dragon." He said, a serious, solemn expression on his face. "They had to flee from here when it too was attacked." Tauriel's face also changed to a more serious tone.

"Now so it is again, a refuge, but for another kind of exile…" Tauriel said softly. They stood silent for a moment.

"Tauriel…I…I felt I had abandoned you at the riverside." Kili said, low and soft, as he looked back at her, hurt in his eyes. "What has happened since?" he asked, worry again taking possession of his dark, angular features. Tauriel looked down, pursing her lips. She had some explaining to do.

"Before we speak on such matters, I want to show you something." She said as she continued on ahead of him.

They climbed up one side of the stony monument, the crumbling path leading up to the most visible, most intact vertical structure; the watch tower. Kili scampered up and stood at the prominence over the chasm created by a fallen bridge, overlooking the frozen lake, gasping at the still, ethereal splendor of the crystalline waterfall, the dark and dreary rock intermingling with the ice and snow, glistening with a grey and blue hue. Tauriel waved him down and together, they gingerly crossed the frozen lake. Kili looked down through the clear ice, into the frigid water flowing underneath and a chill ran down his spine.

Finally, they arrived at the top of the partially destroyed watchtower. Kili gazed around, taking in the stark, yet magnificent view slowly…until his eyes came to rest on something even more exquisite. Tauriel, her face upturned to the night, the silken fire from her head waving with the gusts, her ivory skin a stark contrast to her wide, expressive eyes. Her lips were slightly open with a peaceful, gentle smile as she looked up into the heavens.

At that moment, he felt it; there was nothing he loved more than this beautiful elf…

"Isn't it gorgeous?" she asked, looking back at Kili, only then realizing his eyes were upon her. Kili's smoldering stare wandered down her body.

"Yes…yes it is." Kili said, a small smile on his lips. Tauriel looked away, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks.

"It is so very quiet up here…nothing but the birds and the windsong to break the silence." She sighed. "It is a good place to spend time, sorting out one's thoughts."

"That it is. But our voices break the silence this night." Kili replied. He crossed his arms and leaned back on the low wall. He wanted to air his grave concerns now, holding back his fitful urge to hold her again, before the thoughts of such discord would flee from his mind.

"What is it that unsettles you?" she asked, brows knit.

"What you did at the river…_that_ was reckless." Kili said. Tauriel raised a brow with his choice of words…

"I did what I had to." She said. "to save you…" Kili pursed his lips.

"I am thankful for what you did, yet again, Tauriel…but I am upset with the great risk you took." Kili huffed.

"Thranduil gave the order to shoot you down. They would have hurt you…possibly killed you." She said, turning to him, in her defense. "That, I could not let him do."

"So…you decided to threaten him." Kili said, his brows knit. "A dozen archers were trained upon you."

"It seemed like the only thing I could do to stop him." Tauriel said. Kili approached her.

"You made him angry…he attacked you afterwards, didn't he?" Kili asked, darkness floating over his face as he looked at her cheek. Tauriel swallowed. Kili came in close and held her hand. "I saw it…" He was holding in his dismay and fury.

"Yes." She admitted. "He slashed my bow in half…that is what sliced my cheek." she started, and then looked down. Kili put a finger under her chin and raised it so she would look back into his eyes.

"Then what happened?" he asked, voice soft but his lips tight, his eyes hard…but Tauriel knew that his fury was not meant for her. Even though she did not want to tell him, she continued.

"He held his sword to my throat." She said, in a low, soft voice.

"What?" he said, his eyes widening, incredulous. By that moment, Kili hated Thranduil with a vengeance.

"Legolas stayed his hand by asking for mercy… "she said. Kili breathed hard and backed away. Begrudgingly, he thanked the gods the elf prince was there at the right time. "But…I do not believe Thranduil would have killed me, anyway." She said.

"You don't know that." Kili said, turning around, disgruntled. He walked over to a bench and sat down heavily, bent over, his forearms on his thighs. He pursed his lips and looked up at her. "How did you go from under his blade to here?" Tauriel breathed in, starting to walk around.

"Thranduil then banished me from his sight; and the elves all turned their backs to me and left." She said. She heard Kili gasp.

"Banished?" Kili whispered. Tauriel looked back at him, nodding with a firm resolve.

"I should expect no less for my actions." Tauriel remarked. "However justified they were." She continued before Kili could interject. "Bard then found me by the river, and encouraged me onward. He offered me shelter, with his own people in Dale."

"Bard…he is a good man." Kili said, his head spinning with her revelation. Kili remembered his private words with the bowman; Bard seemed respectable, and he always acted honorably.

"Yes, but…when I saw how the elves were stationed all over Dale, I felt I could not be comfortable in their presence. I spied this hill, with this fort, and was drawn to it." She said, patting the wall gently. "Bard was concerned for my safety, so I convinced him that I would keep a fire lit to signal all was well, on the southeastern face."

"So now, here you stay, all alone…" Kili said, his voice growing sadder.

"It seemed a good place to act as sentry for the whole valley… " She said, then she looked back at him. "And for the moment, I am not alone." She said. Kili stared at her, wide eyed, an ache spreading through his head.

"Legolas was right…so very right…" he murmured.

"Legolas was right about what?" Tauriel questioned, approaching Kili slowly.

"That I would cause you nothing but pain and anguish…" he said, through the tense expression now covering his face. "I am so sorry…" Kili said, his voice, low, laden with heaviness "… for all the trouble I have caused you."

"My actions were my choice, Kili." She said, insistently. Kili looked at her with pain in his eyes. Then he put his face in his hands, closed his eyes, and shook his head. Tauriel kneeled before the despondent dwarf.

"Kili… I could not just stand by and watch you get hurt." She said, placing, her hands on his hands. "Not in the forest, with the spiders, not on the river gate, not in Bard's house…not at the riverbed." She gently worked her fingers into his hands, pulling them gently away from his face. "My heart would not let me." His strong fingers grasped her hands as she spoke. "Not while I had the power to change it…don't you see?" Kili's sad eyes rose to hers… they held the expression of regret.

"But Tauriel…I do not want you to risk your immortal life for me… I am but mortal." He entreated. Tauriel shook her head.

"That does not mean your life is any less precious to me." Tauriel said, sweetly.

"My life means nothing to me…without you." Kili whispered, his eyes intense and sincere. "Yet I wonder if would be best if I threaten you no more with my presence, as your prince suggested." He said, bitterly, the words stinging him as he let them out. "Maybe that is what is best for you…regardless of my desires." He said, looking down, a dark sadness coming over him. Just the thought made him barely able to breathe.

Tauriel had to counter his argument, the best way she knew how.

"What of my desires?" she asked…Tauriel leaned in against him, insinuating herself between his knees and kissed him, her hands holding his face.

At first Kili tried to resist. He slowly returned her kiss and let her get closer, his hands finding their way around her shoulders. He shook with the war raging within him, between desire and regret, the belief that she was better off without him at odds with his feeling that he could not live without her. But then he reached out and pulled her against him tight, their tongues tasting each other; his resistance waning.

She slid her soft hands down his neck, scraping his skin ever so slighty. As she did, she felt him suck in a breath and a low moan escape his throat. His hands rubbed her firmly, his fingers spreading apart as they wandered over her back, her waist, her hips…she groaned with the pleasure of his touch. She continued to kiss him hungrily until she could feel no more resistance, and she had washed those poison words and thoughts from him… He broke the kiss to gasp for breath.

"What strength you have…you silence my worries and erase my fears with but a kiss." He said, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand, but he looked away. "But the puzzle still remains." She sat back on her heels and waited until his emotion filled eyes returned to hers.

"Kili…I also know how I feel. But, I am afraid…" she said, softly.

"What do you fear?" Kili said, brows knit, holding her hand tight.

"I am afraid that I will never feel this way ever again, the way I feel with you." She said, as he gasped. "That I will go through the ages henceforth, searching for something I once had, living only in the memory of our few precious moments together, yearning for that which I let slip from my grasp…" she confessed, her hand cupping his cheek. "I fear that I would mourn a love ended before it began, when we should have just let it go to fruition, then its own natural end." She looked at him sweetly, sadly. "A life with such regret is long tortured, and ill spent." Kili shook his head and pursed his lips.

"What have I done to you?" He said, lamentingly. He stroked her hair, and let his fingers flow through the silken strands. Had he already taken her heart, so that she would accept no other love? Had he already sentenced her to sadness at his end, when they had to part? "How could I be so selfish?" He whispered that thought out loud. A small smile covered her lips.

"You have only spoken words of love to me from your heart…" She said. "That is your crime." Kili blinked and gasped, kissing the hand cupping his cheek, trying to hold in his emotion.

"Of that I am guilty…" He said, his voice low and tremulous, his eyes pinned on hers.

"You say you love me…" She said, barely audibly, kissing his cheek, his nose, his chin. Kili's eyes fluttered closed, inhaling the sweet perfume of her presence.

"I do…" Kili whispered as he held her close. "More than you know..."

"Then show me…" she whispered. She could not help her small smile as she looked back at his face, into the warm, dark eyes of desire…

In a heady haze, Tauriel led Kili down to the place she had arranged for herself to rest, a comfortable and cozy room on the second level, where a fire was already burning in a low hearth, the little place warm, inviting. Tauriel looked on as Kili circled around the room, taking the place in, noting the simple surroundings; a chair, a table, a few of her belongings upon it, her supplies neatly placed on some nearby shelves.

Tauriel studied her dwarf. Kili wore a fine short coat of deep blue, trimmed and belted with rich brown leather, the working at the cuff and neck intricate with dwarven designs. Within this was an off white shirt, below that brown suede pants and leather short boots, the fine leather etched with similar figures. He wore the fine clothes in a loose and comfortable way, with the collar open enough to show just a touch of the soft brown hair on his chest. His outfit favorably complemented his broad shoulders and slim hips, yet revealed his muscular build. Part of the dark, silky long hair on his head was pulled back, without a braid, wayward wisps of dark waves surrounding his face. His eyes rested on the thick sleeping mat on the floor, which had a fur blanket spread above it.

Kili turned to her and his warm, smoldering eyes beneath those dark brows captured her vision, his skin on his cheeks glowing golden in the firelight, beneath his shadow. He touched her shoulder gently, sliding his hand up to the base of her neck, burying his fingers in her hair as he pulled her mouth to his, taking her in another breath-stealing kiss. Tauriel gasped, her heart twisting in her chest, the butterflies awakening within her belly. Her skin tingled with anticipation. She wrapped her arms around her lover…

{{{{

Kili could barely hold his urges at bay, but he resigned himself to approach Tauriel with languid, gentle touches, to worship her body inch by beautiful inch, even if it was torture for him…but it would be so, so sweet. As he stood before her, his eyes stayed with hers, and his breath quickened.

"Can I look at you, all of you?" He said, as his hands slid down the front of her tunic. Tauriel gasped, then nodded, a sweet smile on her face. Kili made quick work of the fastenings, but did not let her help him push it slowly off her shoulders. With his eyes glued on hers, he slowly traced her skin within the opening of her clothes with his fingers, and watched as her crystal green eyes as they fluttered, and her mouth as it fell open with desire. He eased her clothes from her body, revealing her silky skin, the light of the flickering fire making it glow warmly. A surge of emotion and desire grew within him.

When the fabric was pushed from Tauriel's skin, Kili's fingers, then mouth followed, down her neck, over her shoulders, as her eyes fluttered closed and her arms encircled him. His hands wandered over her rounded breasts, the tight skin like warm satin, the pink tips firm and responsive to his touch as his hands cupped them gently. He took them into his mouth, one, then the other, his tongue sliding over the sensitive nipples as she sighed, gently tugging at them with his lips, his mouth remembering the succulent taste of her skin, the flavor of his gorgeous elf…

"Kili…" she said, from lips parted with desire. "Please, I want to feel your skin against me, lover…"

"Anything for you …" Kili said, the thought of her skin against his almost more than he could take at the moment.

Tauriel lost the rest of her wrappings within seconds, and it took only a bit longer for them to free Kili from the bonds called clothing, as their hands struggled to stroke and touch each other.

Kili lowered his lover gently onto the soft bed awaiting them, his hand cradling Tauriel's head as he kissed her gently, and their bodies grew closer as he lay against her. They both gasped and sighed as skin hit skin, and they held each other tightly, closely for a moment before going any further.

They had both been through much turmoil since they had been apart, and they needed the comfort they drew from each other's touch almost as much the sweet release they found in each other's arms. Kili breathed out slowly, eyes closed, as he drank her touch in. Tauriel felt near tears with relief at having him so near.

But soon, the seduction that had earlier begun crept back into their touches, and the skin on skin sensation heightened their excitement. Sweet, tender kisses turned into ravenous ones, and their bodies moved against each other with more urgency. Kili's hands wound around her back, stroking the taught, strong muscles on either side of her spine, beneath the firey hair that hung from her head, holding her as he felt her gasp, and her body arch as her arms circled his shoulders, her fingers becoming entangled in his hair.

Tauriel started to breathe heavily and moan, a sound that thrilled him, and lit a fire within his belly. He couldn't help but moan with pleasure in response as his lips and tongue feasted on her sensitive, firm breasts again, before moving down her body. He kissed and gently nibbled at the edges of her ribs, and rubbed his lips over her belly, nuzzling, kissing, tasting her skin…he could not get enough of her.

Kili's hand slid down her back, around her firm buttocks, and down her long, strong thigh, as she bent her leg up to rub it against his body. He stroked her soft skin, silky and smooth, down to her delicate feet and kissed the inside of her thigh above her knee. Kili heard her gasp and felt her shudder, which made him want to do it more. He moved down further, gently urging her legs open to lay between them. He held her leg, and kissed along her inner thigh… Tauriel's responses were increasingly more vocal, her body's movements more sensual…

"Kili..." She moaned, breathing heavily. He looked up to her face…and was gripped with the vision before him. Her eyes were closed, her mouth open, her face a mask of blissful enjoyment. And just below were her firm, pointed breasts, rising and falling with quickened breaths. He slid down, between her legs, to where he knew the center of their pleasure was, the place on her body that gave them so much mutual joy. He rubbed her there, delicately, until he felt her body relax, slick and warm around his fingers, making his body pulse, making her writhe...

"I love it… your touch…" Tauriel groaned.

"I know… and I love to touch you…" he said, his voice low and grumbling with arousal.

He stroked the delicate petals surrounding the firm bud of her core in little circles with his slickened fingers and he felt her body respond, her moans of pleasure growing louder, more arousing. Her scent was strong here; the musky, flowery scent that was her perfume. She became fuller right before his eyes, blooming like a rose. He felt the urge to taste her…he pressed his mouth against her delicate flesh, and then took her into his mouth…and was rewarded with the sweetest nectar on his tongue and her cries of pleasure echoing in his ears.

Tauriel felt that her skin was on fire, set alight by her lovers lips and tongue against that part of her that was most sensitive, possessing her, their movement igniting her…lights flashed before her eyes, and the pressure that had been building deep in her lower belly erupted to pulsing waves of pleasure…her voice rang out.

Kili held her writhing body close, her increasing cries of ecstasy the sweetest, most arousing music to his soul, her open mouthed, closed eyed, almost pained expression of bliss the most gorgeous thing he thought he had ever seen in all his days. He struggled to maintain control over his own body but he groaned with pleasure as her hands clamped around his head, pushing his face hard against her. Every inch of her skin was smooth and sweet, and she responded to his tongue with a higher pitched cry of pure delight.

"Kili…please…love me…" she gasped, breathing hard and fast, her jeweled green eyes barely focusing on him through fluttering lids. Kili could resist her no more. He shifted his extremely stimulated body up between her legs and pushed himself into her, painfully, excruciatingly slowly, her slick, sweet flesh surrounding him. He felt so full that very part of her precious body he felt stretching around him, her muscles squeezing him, everything urging him to explode with each second…but he wanted this joy, this heaven to last until they both could take the high no more.

Tauriel could only hold on tight as she felt his hips start to move rhythmically against her…Tauriel could not believe it when she felt him, engorged and hot, deep within her, that part of him rubbing the spot within her body that made her shudder with deeper waves of pleasure, so that her body quaked with each exquisite spasm and she was unable to draw breath. She dug her fingers into his tense, muscular back, trying to bring him closer, ever closer into her, until she felt she would almost melt into him with the heat…She let out a loud, throaty moan…

That was all he could take…Kili screamed out as he experienced the height of his pleasure, as an intense release that spread from his groin throughout his whole body, followed by a warm fire over his skin. He breathed hard as he held on to his lover and pressed himself hard into her, again and again, this physical joining bringing him closer to heaven than he ever thought he could ever be…He kept his eyes closed so that vision would not distract him from this bliss, every second of this wonderful sensation of their passion, the sweet splendor of making love to the only person he ever truly loved. He was almost unable to hold himself together.

]}}}}}}}}

When Tauriel again regained control of her body after they made love, she breathed deeply, opened her eyes, and slid her hands up to stroke the face of the dwarf still pressed against her. His eyes were barely open and he was looking at her with that expression of pure love, pure worship that made her heart melt. She stroked his cheek and kissed him softy.

Kili opened his eyes, just to gaze upon the beauty that was before him, Tauriel, in all her delicious glory, his chest nearly exploding with the knowledge that, at this exquisite moment, this remarkable, magnificent being loved him too…he nearly felt the urge to weep with the intensity of emotion flowing through his mind…He loved her more than anything, more than life.

_I am so lost in you…amralime._ He thought to her, his voice echoing through her mind, into her soul.

"I would be lost without you…_le melin_." She replied.

* * *

><p><strong>Ok- need your input...was that too much? Or did it hit the mark? <strong>


	30. Chapter 30

**Author's Note:**

**Hello my sweets, so glad you enjoyed those precious moments, I know I did. I was so happy I hit the mark for so many of you; as I hoped you realized, I wanted it to be hot and sexy yet tasteful, which is what I believe passionate love can be. Just call me an incurable, lusty romantic. **

**I continue the tale for you all: Mocking Jay1397, Syblime, Wizardxp, Haku's Lover18, Tuonra, Sparkle85, savinpeopledecucingthings, Jubjub 0250, DarkroseMaria, ReiVin, MargaritaSC, touchedby grace, clarkloveslana, Bigficfan, karamelkat, Amber85, Kimm Possible, mfaerie32, andante, Vi-violence, ClareW, Mauricejayo.**

**By the way, no Bagginshield here, just mutual admiration… (not that there is anything wrong with it, it is just not a part of this fic) **

**And yes, more {{{yum}}}**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Tauriel floated out of her brief episode of meditative rest in the tranquility of her dwarf's arms. This night thusfar had been tumultuous; the dwarf and elf had aired their concerns about their entanglement before they could no longer resist the urge to fall into rapture again. Kili had made her feel so intensely loved, both physically and emotionally, it nearly made her weep. He had taken her heart completely this night; everything he did, he said demonstrated his deep adoration, but with new certainty.<p>

And for her it was different too; she finally admitted to herself and him exactly how deeply she had free-fallen in love, and with that her heart was open to experience everything. Come what may, at least she knew she had done that; allowed herself the joy of feeling this all engrossing, powerful love that this passionate dwarf was willing to give, each moment intense and intimate. She would be satisfied with that, regardless of the ultimate known outcome…which would be the sadness of loss. At some moment when she was with Kili, Tauriel realized it was better to have lived this, to experience this love rather than be afraid of the pain it would cause her later. It was so worth it.

The elf and dwarf lovers whispered words of affection after their fervent activities; and Tauriel held Kili close while she watched his body wind itself around hers and relax, the drunken lore of sleep making his lids heavy until he surrendered to it. His handsome face, now in peaceful slumber, was pressed against her, his lips full and inviting, dangerously close to her still-sensitive skin as his hot breath stroked her, as his arms surrounded her. Tauriel knew that these were usually brief periods of rest Kili seemed physically compelled to take, occurring moments after they made love… Tauriel actually had grown accustomed to the peace and warmth, the quiet respite these minutes gave, when she would have a chance to admire the striking example of a male that her Kili was.

Tauriel slid her hands slowly across the strong, rounded muscles of his arms and shoulders, each muscle sculpted and shaped, but now soft and supple with rest. Underneath his thick, dark waves and warm golden skin, his upper back was wide, an archer's powerful back, adorned with tight, braided ropes of flesh that tapered down on either side of a valley of a spine to his lower torso and relatively trim waist. That gave way to the powerful, curved muscles that shaped his buttocks and legs. Something deep in her body twitched and an ache of desire made her breathe out when she remembered the feel of Kili's body, his muscles tense and hard against her body, and how they felt in her hands as he pressed himself against her, into her during their moments of pleasure. Tauriel was surprised at how much Kili's relatively stacked, stout build enthralled her; it was so unlike the slender, long, and taut structure of elven bodies.

In a few moments, however, Kili turned in his sleep, shifting to lie by her, his arms resting comfortably at his sides. Tauriel pulled a cover over him to keep him warm. Kili's skin now had a glow, seen particularly on his cheeks from the exuberant effort expended earlier, his long lashes dark below relaxed, sleeping lids as a subtle smile decorated his lightly bearded chin. Tauriel struggled to resist the urge nibble on those delicious lips; enough for now was the idea that she would do just that upon his rising. She looked thoughtfully at her dwarf's attractive face; the face of this mortal, this enemy she now grew to love in such a short space of time it made her head spin.

Maybe it was the innate overt passion of dwarves, and his intensity that drew her… they were inherently different to the distant, calculated, subtle elves. Tauriel was always more fervent than those around her. That, combined with the irresistible attraction they felt for each other led to this beautiful bonding. Would it lead them only to heartbreak? But loving Kili now seemed as much a force of nature to her as water falling from the sky during a storm, the speed of an arrow once released from a bow, the searing heat from the sun on a summer day; she was at once powerless to resist it, and thankful for its existence.

Her eyes drifted over to the waning fire in the hearth nearby. She would need to refresh it with a log sometime soon, she recognized. She rose up a little with the sudden realization that she would also have to attend to the fire that was on the south side of the hill, so as no one from Dale would see fit to visit this mountain perch to find out if something was the matter. She stayed still for a little longer, until she was fairly sure Kili's sleep had become sufficiently deep to allow her movement. Tauriel got up on her elbow and looked at him sweetly; he still did not waken. Tauriel rose up, pausing just a moment to slide on her clothes and boots before tiptoeing slowly up the stairs.

Tauriel silently walked over to where the fire was lit on the south side and was surprised to find the small signal still bright, as if someone had been tending to it all night. Glancing up to the terrace above, something caught her eye; she soon found out why it was so. Tauriel stood in amazed shock as she saw the great black wings approach the fire from above, the huge raven soaring down, as its large, sharp tipped feet grabbed at her tinder supply. It carried a medium sized branch into the flames. Its wide, powerful wings flared to rise with the column of heat off the fire as a shower of sparks flew up into the night, and the bird rose with the smoke and points of light like a obsidian phoenix from flame. Open mouthed, Tauriel's eyes followed the dark shadow of the bird across the sky until it alighted upon its perch among the fractured pillars of the watchtower; it was the same bird she had seen when she first arrived at this hill. She blinked and looked at it with wonder as it settled down in its roost, and a dark eye was turned upon her. Tauriel could not fathom why this creature chose to assist…

As she gazed at the bird, the night remained still no longer; the bird and others of its kind took cover in sheltered roosts. Something strange and ominous was occurring… Something, from where she did not know, bid her walk to the southernmost, tallest terrace of the fortress. In moments, the wind started to blow from the south, at first a gust, then increasing to a strong breeze, then to a squall that howled around her. A light in the deep south, and to the west, caught her eye. As she looked at, it she felt the disturbing sensation of a rush within her, something drawing her strength from a long distance away that made her catch her breath, her body stiffen . She heard a deep, dark, low whispering murmur, on the edge of her ability to hear, one like the growling of the earth during a quake, one that made her blood crawl and all her senses ignite. She froze.

The light, so far in the distance, it was barely visible to her above the horizon, but she knew it was powerful bright. It rose like a tower from the earth in shades of yellow, red and orange, lighting up the clouds in the night sky above. Next, as she listened and watched in awe, a higher pitched, low whispering murmur, just as powerful but not as dark began while green and blue tendrils of faint light came into view just at the horizon, pushing the amber light further and further into the clouds. Then she heard a thunder clap and saw the sky in the south flash as if a hundred bolts of lightning hit and the light continued up and up, into the heavens, further and further south away from her. And then the night grew still again. She dropped to the ground, feeling drained suddenly. She stared at the sky, which now seemed undisturbed. Where that disorder was, she did not know, but it seemed to come from over the south end of the forested lands of Mirkwood.

* * *

><p>In the south a battle between good evil was raging. What was happening in Dol Guldor at that precise moment was the clash between the White Council and the Ancient darkness. Galadriel had called upon her powers and the light and dark powers of her people to expel Sauron. When such great powers collided, all the spiritual, magical, and ancient creatures of middle earth sensed it, along with the beings who did not yet know they were so gifted, such as young elf healers who could sense the thoughts of others. All felt the deep disturbance as it reverberated through the mystic fabric of the land.<p>

The look of fear was an exceptionally rare occurrence on his face, yet there it was, etched on Thranduil's timeless, porcelain countenance. In the old, destroyed dome in Dale, the ancient elf king stumbled back, away from the southernmost terrace. He had seen it all; the fireworks in the faraway clouds filling him with a deeper foreboding than he had yet felt for this entire excursion. It had drawn his attention, pulled at his soul to bear witness. What he sensed was powerful and shadowy, a darkness that enveloped and destroyed, blighted everything it came in contact with. Unfortunately, he and other ancient elves had encounters in the past with such evil, and it shook Thranduil to the core to feel it again, like a nauseating sickness returning to infect the living world. Even though he knew this blackness had gone further away from where he now stood, it was not yet completely gone, not yet done with Middle Earth…he knew it.

Because of Thranduil's heightened distress after banishing Tauriel at the river bank, where the little annoying dwarf had also managed to escape, there had been continued discord with Legolas. Thranduil did not do well with dissent. Therefore Thranduil sent his disgruntled son on a reconnaissance mission to the south, to observe the southern lands from a high vantage and return with a report. Now, after seeing the aerial display in the south, his worry grew for his son.

Thranduil collected himself with a few gasps and stood up tall, walking slowly to the other side of the dome; to the terrace overlooking the bridges of Dale. He looked upon Erebor darkly. It could not be soon enough that he would be done with his entanglement with these pesky, obstinate dwarves. Then he and his elves could return home to their safe, secluded refuge; where they would wait out the coming tempest like they had so many times before. Or so he hoped…Thranduil gathered himself together, and turned to face the visitor that was now climbing almost soundlessly up the steps.

Oreyon entered his presence, and paused only a second to address Thranduil. Being his personal aide for eons, Oreyon could immediately sense the deep disquiet in his king with ease. His brows knit.

"My lord…are you alright?" He asked. Thranduil straightened up and huffed.

"Yes." Thranduil barked, a little irritated at the questioning, however well meaning. "What is it, Oreyon?" Oreyon stood at attention.

"Master Bard has come to see you, my lord." He said. Thranduil pursed his lips and waved his hand with a flourish, heading to rest upon his ornate chair. He reclined a bit, and turned his head to face the distinguished man now approaching, his ever present look of worry etching yet deeper furrows in his face.

Much responsibility had been thrust upon this humbled descendant of Dale within such a short period of time, Thranduil reflected. Yet, ever since they first met, the elf King recognized Bard as more than capable of this, and of the leadership position he would no doubt begrudgingly be forced to accept in the future. Thranduil could see that the qualities of a just ruler were deeply engrained in the tall, elegant bowman. He cared for the people around him like his own, he was fair and patient, yet unafraid to speak his mind and act with intention. And he engendered respect and loyalty in those around him.

"Well, Bard, how was the mountain-lord this day?" Thranduil quipped, the sarcasm dripping bitterly. Bard huffed and started to pace slowly, hand on his beard with worry.

"He is as you know already. Thorin refuses to strike a bargain, forge a truce." Bard complained. "I just don't understand it." He continued. "His position does not make sense…" Thranduil gave a slightly patronizing grunt.

"I will not remind you of what I said earlier…" Thranduil said with a smirk.

"I remember what you said, and you were right." Bard said.

"Some peoples only respond to one thing, Bard. But…I cannot fault you for trying to avoid conflict." Thranduil said, with a showy huff as he drank from a full goblet of wine. "I, too, am sorry that diplomacy did not work." Bard nodded, his own look sincere, but his mind doubting the sincerity of his host.

"Indeed; but even though he angers me…it does feel unfair to war with them…they are not our enemy, and they are but few in number." Bard said, thinking of the unfairness of this siege.

"Ah, Bard. Do not underestimate dwarves…they always find something to give advantage…what their opponents least expect." Thranduil stated. "Thorin will not think twice to use whatever means he can to defend what he believes is all his." Then he looked into the air and swung one long, elegant leg over the other.

"I hope simply an overwhelming display of overwhelming force will knock some sense into our belligerent foes." Bard said, as he crossed his arms, leaning forward with the suggestion. "Rather than coming to blows."

"One would hope." Thranduil said, with a pause. He had no such belief that the brave, stalwart dwarves of Erebor would give in to a simple display… "I do agree with you, Bard. Slaughter is utterly distasteful." Thranduil acquiesced, the piercing grey eyes upon Bard. "But, I am sure you understand, aggression must be met with like aggression. My forces will be ready by morning…" Thranduil started.

"Wait, please, I beseech you…" Bard said, gathering his thoughts. Thraduil's thin brow rose in response.

Bard wanted the dwarf king to know that the men of Dale would not only rely on the force of the elven army. Bard paced back and forth before the great elf king.

"I know…we must, the men of Dale as well, unfortunately, stand up to the King under the mountain, and fight for what we believe we deserve to have any respect from our neighbor." Bard said with certainty. The fact that there was such a necessity for force distressed him greatly and Bard hoped he did not reveal it too much to his powerful ally. "Although Dale may not seem like a formidable opponent now, I believe the men formerly of Laketown can provide quite a show of might, but we will need time to arm ourselves, and become familiar with the arsenal of Dale."

"And how long do you imagine that will take?" Thranduil said, with a bit of impatience.

"We have a small force of trained soldiers remaining from the security force of Laketown. And, I am sure, with them and the help of a few of your warriors, we can have a legion ready in several days…" Bard said. Thranduil stood up and walked slowly away, looking to the south yet again. He was becoming rather tired of all of this.

"You have two crossings of the sun through the sky. No more." Thranduil ordered.

Bard sighed deeply and took his leave of the elf king. Two days… There was so much to do…

* * *

><p>Tauriel sat on the cold, dark ground and continued staring to the south for some time, how long she did not know, the mystery of what just happened baffling her. She was certain she felt what she did, she just did not know why or how. Whatever she had heard and seen, it was now done. She struggled to convince herself that whatever it was, it was far away, and would have little relevance to what was happening here, but deep within her, she doubted that.<p>

Inside, Kili's eyes fluttered open and he looked all about him…his elf was not there. For a moment, his heart froze and twisted in his chest.

_Tauriel…Tauriel_…

She heard in her mind, much more clearly, a voice much more pleasant in her head than the deep, disturbing murmurs that accompanied the lights in the sky. It was a welcome interruption; Tauriel immediately looked towards the stairs, where, deep within the tower, she knew Kili was waking from sleep. Tauriel hurriedly looked around the hill from the watchtower in all directions…nothing seemed to be stirring.

She shook her head and decided to put the illuminations in the south from her head for now. Tauriel headed down the stairs, back to her cozy little room with her warm guest. As she descended the steps she was greeted by the earnest, slightly worried eyes of her lover, whose expression changed to adoring relief the moment she turned to him.

"Where did you go?" Kili asked, voice low with sleep. "I missed you…" Tauriel smiled at him sweetly.

"I am back now, _melethron_." She replied, and she slid off her boots and clothing tactfully slowly as Kili watched. Her attempts at distraction worked; his expression changed from worry to an enticed smolder as his eyes gazed over her bare body. Tauriel crouched down and slid in next to him under the blanket, as he took her in his arms. A slight shiver went over Kili…

"You're so cold…" he said, rubbing at her skin. The icy night air had chilled her, and even though the cold did not make her uncomfortable, she did prefer the warmth of the furnace-like body of the dwarf besides her.

"And you are so warm." She said, wrapping her arm around him. A small smile fluttered over her lips. "Look who it is warming up the cold one now…" Kili looked into her face, his expression changing to a wide mouthed smile. Kili pulled his elf close, arms wrapped around her tightly. She was referring to their first night in that sweet little lodge in the forest, he was certain.

"I remember that night…very well." he said softly, into her ear. Tauriel moved away just enough to look into his face.

"I do too."she said, blinking. That night was when she realized how much she enjoyed being physically close to someone; and later she realized it was because it was Kili…

"It is one of my best memories…like every moment with you…" Kili admitted, softly. Tauriel stroked his cheek.

"As they are mine." Tauriel said. And then she was hardly able to hold in a laugh when another memory floated into mind.

"What's so funny?" Kili said, becoming confused by her reaction.

"It seems that…" She said, and then a wicked smile arose on her face. "I did get to find out what you had down your trousers." Kili closed his eyes and covered them with his hand, threw his head back and groaned.

"Oh …by all the gods…that was so rude." He said, shaking his head. He looked back at her. "But…You did put me in my place…" he said, pursing his lips.

"As I needed to." She said. "For you to respect me." Kili's face grew serious.

_And you completely ensnared my heart, _he thought.

Kili was a precocious dwarf always interested in women, but that did not actually mean he had grand familiarities with the fairer sex. In the dwarf world, he had few chances, so, relatively speaking, Kili was still boyish and relatively inexperienced, prone to approach those who caught his eye with awkwardness, and be quite forward. Upon first sight of Tauriel, the intense magnetic draw to this beautiful enemy threw Kili into a confused tangle of conflicting emotion. Luckily for him, it just happened that Kili made those rather clumsy attempts at communication with a relatively young elf, who, despite her experience with weapons and fighting herself had little knowledge of the more subtle interpersonal arts. And her piqued curiosity with this handsome little dwarf let her overlook such fumbling. Their interactions had matured way beyond that now, to the level that they could be honest with one another, free of expectation and pretense.

"I always respected you, Tauriel, from the first moment you saved me…I…I was just trying to… "He said, lowering his brows. "To get you to notice me, talk to me, I guess."

"I noticed you, alright." She said, shaking her head. "But the next time we met, you told me I would forever be cursed if I looked at your stone." She reminded him. Kili pursed his lips and held her cheek.

"Aye, that I did." He said, looking at her thoughtfully.

"Why?" She asked. Kili breathed in and laid back, put his hand up, behind his head, and looked up at the ceiling of their little space for a moment or two, deep in thought. Kili was one who relied on action; he was impulsive and acted first, looked back and considered later.

"I…guess I was trying to get your attention again, while at the same time, maybe get you angry with me. Perhaps …I was trying to push you away too." He said, looking softly at his elf. Tauriel pursed her lips and knit her brows, questioningly. Kili sighed, and he put his hand on hers, the one lying over his chest, stroking it lightly with his thumb. "You are an elf, the one who had just imprisoned us, and I knew I should dislike you. But all I could see when I closed my eyes was your face…all I could hear was your voice in my head…you were the only thing I could think about, from the moment I first saw you." Tauriel blinked and looked into his eyes.

"Yes…it was all very confusing back then." Tauriel said. "Elves and dwarves are not supposed to talk about beautiful things in dungeons. Not supposed to become friends…or fall in love." She said, softly.

"I am forever grateful you gave me another chance." He said, regret heavy in his tone. "Or none of this would have happened. I would have died, several times over." Tauriel looked at him with a softened glance.

"I am happy I decided to go down to check on my prisoners that night, too." Tauriel admitted. "If I am honest with myself, I really went to see you." Kili turned to her, his head propped up on his hand, his eyes worried.

"Are you really happy about that? I have been nothing but trouble for you…" He started. She put a long, elegant finger on his lips

"I will hear none of that." She said, kissing him. The worry did not leave him just yet; she felt the tension in his lips. She kissed his lips again, under his worried eyes, and brushed her cheek to his ear. She would have to be a bit more insistent. "You know… I never did get to search you." Tauriel whispered.

Kili blinked as Tauriel moved around to lay her body next to him, with a sensual smile and teasing eyes. Kili looked at her with a bit of surprise, as every muscle twitched, and every inch of skin on his body began to tingle with the suggested prospect…how he loved her hands on him.

{{{{

They looked into each other's eyes as she started; Tauriel felt she could fall endlessly into his adoring, bottomless dark eyes. Tauriel scraped the shadow on the strong angle of Kili's chin and her hand wandered up to his lips, and he struggled to kiss them as they passed by. She slowly, gently let her fingertips flow across his shoulders, chest and arm, and watched as Kili's eyes fluttered closed, his head fall back and his body release its tension. Tauriel was amazed at how gorgeous it was, how good it felt to touch him like this…She let her hand wander up and down his outstretched neck, and over his ribs, make little circles through the soft down on his chest, which was rising and falling with the gasps he was beginning to take. Tauriel followed the wisps of hair that led her wanderings over the strong, stiff muscles of his stomach, to the bare curve of his hip, a smile coming over her lips as she watched his cheeks take on a glow and his expressions change; his brows knit, his mouth open, and his body start to writhe with the pleasure of her touch.

Kili floated closed-eyed in bliss, increasing in excitement as his lover's soft hand and fingers played him masterfully; he was an instrument fine-tuned to her touch. Each sensation reverberated through his head, his chest, deep in his belly as those fingers slid over his ridiculously sensitized skin, as he struggled not to move, not to dissuade her wanderings. He groaned softly as her hand wandered down his leg, which rose of its own accord to greet it, and lowered as her fingers stroked upwards. He took in a stiff breath and clenched his teeth as her soft fingers found the playthings between his legs, his body stiffening in response to her attentions. As much as he was enjoying this, he could only stay still a few moments in this sweet torture, while her delicate hand explored him; and he soon turned to her, grasped her face and kissed her with the sheer need for a moment of distraction.

Kili helped her body move over him and as her stiff, pointed nipples scraped against his chest, her body arching over him as their mouths devoured each other. He insinuated his hand between their bodies to touch Tauriel intimately, and she gasped and threw her head up in response to these slow, intentional movements, her silken hair tumbling around her shoulders, showering him with fragrant, fire colored glory. His own head boomed with the release he was granting her, and the satisfaction he was granting himself by watching as he made his lover feel such pleasure.

The aroused, sensitive parts of their bodies joined again, to the sweet music uttered from both lovers. Tauriel again felt the deep ache caused by her lover within her as they moved against each other. She closed her eyes and melted into the intense feelings spreading over her body, her trust in Kili and love of him freeing her soul to feel everything. Kili sat up, wanting to feel her skin against his, putting one arm around her back, one hand guiding her hips against his hips as her legs wound around his body, her legs pulling him against her. Their bodies moved and pressed against each other, skin set on fire, dancing to their own rhythm. Tauriel's arms surrounded his shoulders as she threw her head back in rapture, her breasts brushing against his face. He rewarded their distraction by putting the pink-tipped, full mounds of flesh into his mouth, ever hungering for her. Kili could never get enough of his precious elf, for he knew Tauriel was the love of his life. He would do anything for her…anything.

As they made love in this way, they were slow to climax, but when they did it was powerful, and they were long to recover. The two lovers bathed in the happiness of their love for the rest of the night, as the dark world outside ceased to exist, conflict and war a distant threat, the hatred outside those walls finding no place within, if only for those sweet, precious moments.

}}}

* * *

><p>Bilbo crossed his arms, his face returning to his ever worried expression as he looked back into the depths of Erebor from a high perch on an upper walkway that night. There was Thorin down below, wandering around like one mad around the thrones, wide eyed, the fur fringed cape and magnificent angular shaped crown on his head actually taking away from his regal appearance. His shoulders were hunched and he was mumbling to himself. Bilbo sighed heavily, and lamented on how this deeply impassioned person, this dwarf who could inspire and engender faith with just a glance, a leader he had grown to admire, had fallen so far from grace. Thorin was not the same dwarf he had set out with a year ago from Bag End.<p>

Bilbo could not fathom it…How could Thorin not see what this place, the treasure was doing to him? Bilbo now hated the gold, Erebor, the Arkenstone, all of it, any of it for what it was doing to Thorin. But, what could he, a simple Hobbit, do to change what was happening? Thorin had been possessed by the gold and the treasure for such a long time, ever since they were hundreds of miles away far away across the Misty Mountains. That kind of deep set enchantment was hard to break. Bilbo spent much time alone with Thorin lately to try and bring some reasonable thought into that royal head, but he was being as stubborn as Bilbo had always heard dwarves were…

But yet Bilbo was reminded earlier of what he revered and cherished about the dark, majestic dwarf, who had an air of heaviness and melancholy about him always. Thorin had caught Bilbo looking longingly at a large acorn that he had found around Beorn's house, suspecting that it was something else, approaching him with fury and rage. Thorin soon realized his mistake, and seemed genuinely sorry for doubting his master burglar. He sat down with Bilbo for a while, just to talk on light hearted matters, for one of the first times since they had been together as traveling companions. Bilbo opened himself up and subtly recounted to Thorin his hopes, and fears for their safety and his wishes to one day look back upon these dark times from a comfortable chair in Bag End, alive but fundamentally changed. Thorin seemed truly touched, the genuine smile arising on his face looking like the sun through a break in the clouds after a storm. But then the tempest rolled back in, over the embattled dwarf. Bilbo did not know if the greater battle that Thorin faced was outside of these walls, or within his own mind.

Since then, Thorin came to Bilbo often, with an unsettled heart, and confided in him about his concerns of fealty from the other members of his company. Bilbo was humbled that Thorin thought him close enough, and beyond reproach to voice these secret concerns. Each time, Bilbo would try to dispel these myths, and assuage his fears while at the same time feeling deep guilt at keeping from him the very thing Thorin sought, concealed and tucked away from him. The Arkenstone was hidden in his belongings, where no one else would look for it, Bilbo thought. Even Balin suggested, rather delicately, that the Arkenstone, if put into Thorin's clutches, may make him worse. So, behind a solemn expression, Bilbo kept his secret, silently trying to protect everyone's fate. That was the only way he could keep up this charade…

And then today, when all the others were getting dressed in the finest, most amazing looking armor, Bilbo looked on with wide eyed shock, wondering how in the world these dwarves thought they would ever survive a confrontation with the scores of men and elves just beyond their doors. Just then, Thorin approached him with a precious, precious gift. Thorin knew Bilbo was not one for heavy guage armor, or one to wield the large swords or axes that were a part of the Erebor arsenal, so he gifted him a vest of pure Mithril, beautiful and incredibly strong, impervious to any blade, he was told. Bilbo took it with the appropriate reverence, and anxiety. It was clear at that moment to Bilbo that Thorin would fight to the death…

Bilbo feared intensely for his friends now. They seemed set on a course of absolute destruction, all of them blindly following their leader who was out of his right mind on a suicide mission. Well, not all…Balin, Dwalin and Fili frequently exchanged quiet words of dissent in dark, quiet corners while Kili, who seemed quite distracted, mind in another world since his trials at Laketown, overtly and loudly disagreed with his uncle, only conceding by exiting the argument in a fit of temper. It seemed that, whatever happened to Kili during those days away from the company, it made the young dwarf bolder. Everyone else seemed to let their respect to their leader supersede good sense.

Well, this hobbit would not let that happen. He wracked his brain to try and find a solution…and he finally came up with a plan…a far fetched, dangerous plan. But Bilbo was willing to try it, to give the dwarves, his friends, a fighting chance. He could not bear to see them die because of this godforsaken gold. He would have to do something, and soon…


	31. Chapter 31

**Authors Note**

**Thanks again my lovely lilies, for the words of encouragement and criticism that I need to improve my craft: Haku's lover 18, Margaritasc, Kasmira36, touched by grace, Bigficfan, Tuinra, Jubjub0250, Amber 85, Jampaqd, Wizardxp, Entiinatenti, Hobbitpony, Forestdweller89, evelynwhite3701.**

**Kiliel is just too beautiful to not write more …forgive me in advance...**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Kili woke up to the butterfly kisses on his face. With eyes still closed, he tightened his arms around the familiar, slender curves of his lover, and held his cheek against hers, his hands pressing her gently curved form against his body so that every bit of skin that could touch did…He felt her gasp softly.<p>

"It is morning…again." Tauriel whispered, a tinge of sadness in the voice escaping her lips. "You have to get back."

"Why does it come so soon?" Kili lamented, stifling a yawn. Kili's eyes blinked open and he looked into the soft, green eyes of the beautiful elf beside him. He traced the soft skin on her face with his fingers then lips, so he could remember each sensation. He inhaled. He could practically taste her presence on his breath. Wrapped around her, Kili felt he could stay there forever….

Tauriel stroked his face, her thumb gently tracing the slight darkness beneath his eyes. Tauriel did not know how much time in sleep dwarves required, but she suspected it was more than Kili was getting. Ever since they first became involved in this way, Kili had spent much of his night hours in her presence, awake. When with her, Kili only took brief naps, an hour at most. Tauriel feared how this may have an adverse effect on him.

"You will eventually need more sleep at some point. I fear I have disturbed your slumber quite a bit…" Tauriel said, kissing his forehead.

"And I feel I sleep too much in your presence." Kili admitted, quietly, a smile on his face. "I would forgo every ounce of rest for the remainder of my days if it is the only way I could be with you…You are the best dream I ever could have." Tauriel gave a quiet, small laugh.

"Your body may not agree." She said. "And I do love watching you sleep. It is peace, for me." Kili smirked and snuggled in closer.

"Then I promise to sleep heartily in your arms, once we are able to spend more of the hours in the day together…until then, I shant waste these precious moments on rest…" he said, kissing her softly, slowly. Tauriel wrapped her arms around him, holding her to him until the increasing morning light bid them move.

Slowly, begrudgingly, Kili stood up and pulled on his clothing, piece by piece before her, as Tauriel curled up in the blanket on their bed, her eyes following his every move. Kili looked down and laughed quietly, fastening his buttons up front, finally looking back up at her. Her expression was one of mild curiosity mingled with a bit of disappointment.

"You do look every bit of dwarf royalty in that outfit." She remarked. Kili guffawed.

"Do I now?" he asked.

"Yes…like a prince." She said sweetly. He looked at her with a small smile and a thoughtful expression.

"You are not making this easy…" he complained. A gentle smile arose on Tauriel's lips and she turned around, stretching like a cat, the blanket falling down, off of her, revealing her silky skin. Kili groaned…she just made matters worse. Abandoning is resistance to her, he crouched down and crawled over to her, leaning over her body as she lay flat.

"I would make a poor leader of Erebor…" Kili said, in a low voice.

"Now, why is that?" She asked.

"Because I would gladly give away every last bit of gold granted me..." Kili admitted, his face serious. "To be with you." Her arm surrounded his shoulders and her soft fingers stroked his beard.

"I would never ask that of you." She said, her face serious. Riches, at least material ones, did not interest her.

"I know you would not." Kili said, for he was like minded, beholding his greatest treasure right then, before his eyes, in his arms.

"Why do you think you would you have to?" she asked, her brows knit. Kili smirked.

"I can only imagine what Thorin would do if he ever found out about us…" He said. "Disinheriting me would probably be the first step. Throwing me out of Erebor would probably be the next…"

"Oh dear…" Tauriel said, with a little smirk. "If that is the case, then it may be best if he does find out." Kili laughed, then sighed as he nodded, and looked deep into her eyes, grasping her hand, and kissing her fingers as he brought her hand to his lips, his eyes squinting as if in pain. Tauriel gulped at his sudden change in tone.

"Or…he may try to keep us apart. Demand that I stay away from you. Make it so I can never see you again." He said, in a low, sorrowful voice. The pang of pain was experienced in both their hearts at that prospect.

"That would be awful…" Tauriel whispered. She could only pray that such a thing did not come to pass. Their foreheads touched softly, as their eyes closed for several moments in their embrace.

_My heart will not allow that to happen, Tauriel._ His thoughts echoed.

Kili's eyes flowed over her face, for a few quiet moments, as if trying to memorize it.

"I dread leaving you." He whispered in his low voice, his saddened face close to hers, as his hand gently caressed her fire colored head. He pursed his lips. "You are the only thing that makes sense in my world." He said, his deep voice traveling through her. Tauriel felt her heart ache, yet she forced a smile on her lips.

"Now, now, you don't want your brother to hunt me down, do you?" Tauriel said softly, a little laugh escaping her disquiet. Kili nodded, pressing his lips together.

"Oh…you heard that…" he said, his eyes looking down. "If only Fili knew how we felt…If he saw us together, he would understand." he said. Tauriel held his face between her hands.

"Your brother adores you…that, I can understand." Tauriel said, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "He has a sincere heart, and wants only the best for you."

"Fili …he is the reason I return to Erebor this day…that, and the hope that we can somehow banish the sickness of gold from my uncle…for it has corrupted his soul." He said, heavily.

"Then you must save Thorin from himself…before he destroys you all." Tauriel said, her face growing serious. She was trying her hardest not to show her fear of this; she knew Kili was loyal, to a fault, to his brother and kin. Kili's face matched her seriousness, knowing the truth of her words.

"Dwarves are stubborn, proud creatures, Tauriel." He said, with a solemn expression. "They will shelter and protect that which they hold most dear…" he said, stroking her face, his dark, intense eyes tracing her features "…with their lives, if need be." He mentioned. "And that, for my uncle, is Erebor."

Tauriel's face saddened and she gasped a bit, biting her lip a bit to hold in the sob that had lodged in her throat. That precise tendency in dwarves made her fear for Kili. He was more fearless than his brother… and Kili would defend his uncle, even if mad with a sickness of the mind, to the death. And his uncle had just refused negotiations with Bard the day before.

_That most dear to me is you, amralime…_ She heard Kili's voice echo, in her mind. Tauriel closed her eyes, pursing her lips against the wave of emotion that manifested itself as a sickening trepidation deep in her chest. She felt his lips press against hers and she returned the deep, hard kiss.

"I don't know what will happen, in the days to come…" he insisted. Her eyes opened to capture his gaze, holding his shoulder tightly as he tried to get up. "But I do hope we can be together again, soon."

"If at all possible." she said. He looked back at her, his eyes softening. "Kili…please…be careful."

"Of course…" he insisted. He stood up, and placed on his blue coat, and before leaving the little room, he looked back at Tauriel with his signature, flirtatious smirk, laced with sincerity. "I promise."

Tauriel sat up and wrapped her arms tightly around her legs, rocking herself gently, struggling against the intense urge to run after Kili, hold him tightly, and never let him go…

* * *

><p>The Middle Earth sun rose over Erebor and Dale that day and even thought industrious activities were occurring in both places, the space between was quiet and barren save the wind howling through the scrubbrush. Back in Erebor, Kili had returned in the early morning without incident, with only minutes to fall back into the pretense of a night-long watch just before Ori and Nori relieved him and Fili in the morning. The Durin boys then retired into the far reaches of their cavernous city for rest until early afternoon.<p>

Muffled sounds of preparation came from Dale; Bard and the men had unlocked the arsenal, and all about the courtyards and streets, the poor fishermen were donning new clothes with old, shiny armor and practicing with all matters of sword and shield, bow, arrows and spears. Most men and boys were more than willing to join the new army of Dale, while the women tended to the sick and infirm, and attended to the food. Bard oversaw it all, with Thranduil watching from his perch up above, as watchful elven eyes looked out from the stone city.

Tauriel was visited again that day up on Ravenhill by Bain, who informed her of the plan of Thranduil's march on Erebor within the next two days, and explained why she was hearing sounds of metal clashing against metal and the shouts of mock battle coming from Dale. Tauriel struggled to seem as if simply intrigued by the information while her heart beat fast, thinking of how that confrontation would unravel. She feared for the life of her dwarf; knowing full well his uncle would not give in. She hoped by all hope that at least one dwarf would survive the upcoming offensive, if it came down to storming the dwarf kingdom. Tauriel would do everything in her power to make sure that Kili would be among the survivors.

Thorin made himself a unholy terror by ordering the others who were idle to continue to search for the Arkenstone as Bilbo watched from a perch up above. The whole day passed with an eerie calm until a raven flew into the kingdom, its call disturbing the quiet, but its message an update on reinforcements. Dain heeded the call of the King Under the Mountain for his brethren, and 500 fierce fighters, seasoned warrior dwarves in shining mail, were making their way rapidly from the Iron Hills. This made Thorin smile wickedly, yet it made Bilbo's resolve stronger.

Later that night, Bilbo made his way to talk to his beleaguered friend one last time before committing to his plan. He climbed silently down the stairs to the hoard room, where Thorin was pacing like a trapped lion.

"Thorin…um…may I have a word with you?" Bilbo said, approaching a rather fierce looking Thorin. Thorin looked his way, mainly with mild annoyance and crossed his arms, nodding. "Um…I mean alone…just for a second." Bilbo insisted, feeling it was not his place to publically oppose Thorin at this juncture, since several of the other dwarves were near. Thorin growled and followed Bilbo to a darkened narrow, passageway nearby.

"What is it now, Master Burglar?" Thorin asked, cross at first. Then a look of hope crossed his face. "Did you find something?"

"No…no." Bilbo said, as Thorin returned to his heavy brooding.

"Well?" Thorin said, obviously unamused at the distraction, and Bilbo drawing him away from the gold.

"Now Thorin…you know they will come here, the men and elves, right outside the door…" Bilbo started. Thorin looked at him darkly.

"You need not fight if you do not want to. That, I realize is not in your contract." Thorin said, a bit flippantly. Bilbo stood up tall, his face becoming cross.

"I don't care about the bloody contract, Thorin!" Bilbo said, in a rare display of frustrated ire, practically stamping in his anger. "I will fight alongside you, my friends, till the bitter end if I thought it was worth it! We have been through way too much for my concern to be just about a vile piece of paper!" Bilbo ranted.

Thorin's eyebrow rose in mild surprise. Initially, to him it seemed as if the hobbit was having a wayward fit, like a child. Thorin leaned back on a nearby wall. Yet, having spent the better part of a year in his presence, Thorin knew that it actually would take a lot of courage for Bilbo to act like this. Again and again, this once timid little hobbit surprised him. Thorin actually felt touched at his concern.

"I speak poorly, Bilbo." Thorin said, softly. "You have showed me nothing but loyalty."

Bilbo was facing away from Thorin at the moment, and the words from the regal dwarf stung him so much that he winced. If Thorin only knew…Bilbo calmed himself down a moment, and then looked at Thorin again.

"What are you concerned about, then, Master Baggins?" Thorin said, in a quiet, low tone.

"I care about all your skins, your lives much more than this…bloody treasure!" he said, approaching Thorin close. "You have won the mountain, is that not enough?" Bilbo insisted. "Thorin…please remember it…you gave a promise…you gave your word that you would help the people of Laketown…" Thorin rolled his eyes, and shook his head, pacing away from the befuddled hobbit.

"We have been through this countless times. First my burglar you would be, and now you try to be my conscience." Thorin guffawed. He turned back around, and looked seriously at his hobbit. "And what would you have me do, Master Baggins?" Thorin said.

"I would have you negotiate, Thorin…with your neighbors, in good faith." Bilbo said emphatically. Thorin shook his head. Bilbo pushed on… "Look, you needn't part with any of your own gold…you can give them my share…" Thorin spun around.

"Your share?" he said.

"It is in the contract is it not?" Bilbo said. "A portion of the treasure is what I am due for coming on this quest."

"Now you are concerned about contracts?" Thorin said in reply. "No. I won't have it."

"Why not?" Bilbo said, becoming more incredulous. "My share is mine to do as I wish." Thorin strode up to him, anger in his eyes.

"The treasure does not get divided when we are under siege. Only when that is done will you get your share…" Thorin spat, seemingly a bit darker than before. "And I will not see you waste it by giving it to them."

"But Thorin…." Bilbo started.

"ENOUGH!" Thorin shouted, turning around to face Bilbo, eyes on fire, possessive anger seething. "This treasure is ours! Dwarf treasure made from dwarf blood, sweat, and flesh! It is worth every bit of blood spilt!" He shouted again, turning to face the group of dwarves that had gathered with his shouting. He looked around at everyone, fierce steel in his eyes. "Now… we must defend it." Thorin said commandingly.

And so the conversation was over. There were no other options. Bilbo knew what had to be done…

* * *

><p>Legolas rode hard over the wastelands on their way to the city of Dale, the long shadows cast by the late evening darkening the path before him. He glanced briefly behind him at the old wizard on a white horse that now accompanied him and his scouts back from their mission. He was following closely, his hard grey eyes wide, his leathered, wrinkled face set in a worried scowl. Mithrandir, known to most of Middle Earth as Gandalf the Grey, looked more haggard than Legolas had ever seen the Grey wizard look, more fraught than ever before. His skin and clothes were sullied, torn and ragged, and he seemed as if drained from his strength, the desperation in his eyes and his intense alarm the only thing seeming to give him energy to continue on.<p>

They had been on a high precipice when they saw Gandalf approaching from afar, on his steed with such haste such that the hooves seemed as if they did not touch the ground. And then Legolas was informed as to the reason for his speed. What Gandalf had informed him of was very dire indeed; that a large ork army being led by the White Ork Commander Azog was on its way north towards Erebor. Legolas was immediately filled with concern; if what Gandalf said was true, his father, Tauriel, and some of the best warriors from Mirkwood were now in their path, as were the displaced Men of Laketown. He had to trust what the wizard was reporting as true; but he knew his father would not be as willing to listen to his tale. Thranduil trusted precious few people, and particularly not wizards, because they listened to a higher voice, and had complicated plans and intentions far beyond the wants of a particular people, or kingdom, or ruler's desires. Their purpose in Arda was to help the Valar shape the world.

Rather than wait for a sighting with his own eyes, Legolas decided it was best to double back with speed to warn everyone as early as possible. Legolas had felt and seen the light in the clouds last night, and felt the heavy darkness as it moved away in the sky, so he was willing to listen to Gandalf's warning. Something terrible had reawakened. What Legolas had experienced was a greater sensation of dread than what he and his father had felt for days now, yet it still lingered in his mind that the threat he felt deep in his gut came from elsewhere, a source to the northwest. But it was just a feeling...

It was well into the dark of night when they arrived at the outskirts of Dale.

"My gods, look what the fire beast did to this beautiful city…what a travesty." Gandalf said, as he saw Dale over the next rise. "But to see it lit again with torches is good." Gandalf took a deep breath in. "So …Erebor as well…" he said, as he saw the partially destroyed entrance of the Lonely mountain.

"You will be upset with what happened to Esgaroth. For that town on the lake is no more, really." Legolas informed the Maia. They slowed down as they approached the bridges of Dale.

"Such wanton destruction…be it at the hand of a fire breathing beast or other forces of evil…will it never end?" Gandalf lamented out loud, the occurances at Dol Guldor fresh in his mind. Legolas looked over to the wise old wizard, because he had a biting question within him, one made more urgent now.

"When the evil we fight against is at an end, then how will all that is good appear? Whatever opposes us in the future, will it an enemy become, then evil become?" Legolas asked the Maia. Gandalf turned towards Legolas in their slow trot.

"Alas, Legolas, there is an important difference between enemy and evil. The hunger for absolute power forsaking all else is at the heart of evil. It cares not what it destroys in its unrelenting quest, up to and including itself." The grey wizard said, brows knit, with an intense glance. "An opponent is simply someone who is of a different opinion than you. An enemy is one who feels strongly enough to take up arms against you because of it." Gandalf quipped. Legolas pursed his lips and looked out over the barren, low hills towards Erebor.

"That it is now with elves, man, and dwarves." Legolas said. Gandalf sat up high in his saddle, his eyes hard, his face a bit menacing .

"The darkness has returned." Gandalf said, in a low, rumbling tone, one that made a chill run down Legolas' spine. "War is coming…the time is upon us when all must choose which side we are on." Gandalf said, emphatically.

Legolas and his entourage rode over the bridge swiftly, and then a cantor through a vastly changed Dale. As they wound through the hastily, partially cleared streets, his brow lifted at the groups of men sparing throughout the town. This was much different than how he left it, just a day ago.

"_They are preparing for war…_" Gandalf said, loudly from just behind him, in elvish. Legolas looked around.

_"__It seems that way."_ Legolas concurred. "_I think it is safe to say that the discussions with the King under the mountain must have gone…poorly._" The grey wizard pursed his lips, which made his long, stringy beard twitch.

"_Evidently. It is just as well_." Gandalf grunted. "_They should take up arms._" He got off his steed, none too graciously, stopping for a moment to adjust his vestments and don his hat. It made him look a bit more…official. Just a bit. Legolas dismounted next. "_They will need to fight a greater foe_." He said, using his staff to walk up the irregular path to the elf prince. Legolas grunted.

"Come…this way. My father is here." Legolas said, leading Galdalf up the stone steps to the dome of Dale.

Thranduil's relieved gaze at seeing his son, alive and well, gave way quickly to disquiet when he saw the concern hardening his son's features. But when he saw the wizard, and he could barely restrain his eyes from rolling in their sockets. The absolute last thing he needed right now... was a wizard in their midst.

* * *

><p>The quiet day had given way to a still evening, yet it felt ominous, and the night found Kili and Tauriel walking along the edge of the cliff back to the Ravenhill fort. This was the second night they stole away on their own, leaving Fili as sentry over the great stone door of Erebor. This time, though, their hearts were heavy. They held hands but remained silent; looking up into the now peaceful night, knowing the peace would be shattered by the oncoming dark force of war in the light of day to come.<p>

Tauriel had informed Kili that, according to Bain, the Elves and men would lay siege on the plain on the south face of the Lonely Mountain. Kili informed Tauriel of the dwarf fighters, called by Thorin, hurrying their way over from the Iron Hills, and Thorin's firm resolve. The newly established alliance between men and elves would undoubtedly clash with the dwarf warriors upon seeing the Kingdom of Erebor under threat. There seemed no solution; no hope in the situation as it stood to the star crossed couple. All that they cared for, as well as each other, everyone was in great peril.

Kili and Tauriel arrived at the fort, winding their way through the dark corridors to their inner sanctum. In relative quiet, Kili urged the flame from the glowing embers in the fireplace to light the logs they had brought in with them as Tauriel sat on the fur blanket she spread out gently around her. Kili looked her way, her form lit by the flickering firelight, as he crouched low, tending gently to the flames. He looked at every feature as if he saw it for the first time; the long flowing fire from her head, the neat braids woven to hold it in place, the delicate point of her ears, the fine features on her face, the graceful curves of her body. The feelings for her running through him were the strongest he had felt, yet he made sure they were not readily apparent, and did not distract him from his intentions.

Tauriel felt the heaviness, though, and she looked upon her lover softly and sighed.

"What can be done about tomorrow?" Tauriel started, after sitting comfortably, her gaze directed at the handsome young dwarf in front of the hearth. "The outcome is not up to us." His warm eyes rose a bit, followed by his body and he walked over to her. He sat next to her, but turned a little to face her.

"I know." He said, looking into the fire, a sad, thoughtful glance. He looked at her. "I am torn, Tauriel." He said.

"Why?" she asked, her head tilting in that sweet way…Kili blinked, holding back the urge to say everything bursting from his heart.

"I…I know I should be, have to be with my brethren." He began, with difficulty. "But, if I speak the truth, where I want to be, is by your side." He admitted. She reached out and held his hand.

"And I, yours." Tauriel admitted. She took a deep breath and rubbed her fingers over his.

Kili had been thinking that day, long and hard about what he would do about this elf now deeply embroiled in his life. His decision, not a light one, was finally made. He felt so close, so strongly about Tauriel, it was all consuming, and frightening. With the conflict looming so soon before them, he could wait no more. They had to discuss this, now, because they may never have another chance. But he just did not know how to tell her…to tell her he wished to pledge his life to her…but if and only if…

"Tauriel…" he said, looking into her eyes when he looked at her, "I have something important to discuss with you." He pursed his lips and nodded. Tauriel felt a bit of apprehension invade her mind.

"What is it?" she asked softly. His eyes rose to her worried ones. He swallowed hard, looking down at their hands entwined, his thumb tracing the delicate ridges of her knuckles.

"I don't know what will become of any of us tomorrow." He said slowly, breathing in. "But I think we have to decide what we should do…about us." he said.

"Should do?" Tauriel asked. Kili grew silent and intense, his breath quickening, as if a tempest was brewing. He closed his eyes and stood up, groaning in frustration. He got up and paced around. Tauriel was bewildered.

"Kili, what is it?" she said, with confusion tingeing her voice. Kili turned to look at her, his eyes wide and saddened. He dropped down to his knees before her.

"I…don't know if I can do it." He said, in a low voice, his expression tortured. "Do what I told myself I should do…when we came up here tonight."

"What must you do?" she said, looking at him wide eyed, shaking her head. He approached her slowly, and with a shaking hand, and stroked her cheek lightly as he let out a heavy sigh.

"I told myself that I should… free you. " He said, his low voice rumbling, his eyes blinking.

"Free me?" She said, her heart thumping hard.

"But…just the thought of not seeing you again…being without you …put such a pit in my chest I could not take in a breath…" he said, shaking his head. Tauriel's eyes softened.

"Why, Kili? Why did you feel you had to…free me?" She asked, concern filling her eyes. Kili sat back.

"I don't want you to ever, ever hurt because of me…" he whispered, his eyes tracing her face, full of pain. Tauriel pursed her lips and knit her brows.

"But by 'freeing me', you would hurt me, Kili." She said.

"I know… I know." He sighed, looking up at her. "Please… Tauriel, I realized something very important. Please…just hear me…" He sighed and kissed her hand, putting it on his face, his eyes closing. He took a few labored breaths as Tauriel sat before him, still, patient. Then he began…

"I know I love you now, and I will until the day I die, Tauriel, be us together or apart." he said, as he lowered her hand and held it again between his, looking into her eyes. "But I am tortured by the fact that I know that day will come too soon for you. Even if I live to a ripe old age for a dwarf; I will still only live for a fraction of your long life." His eyes lowered. "I will grow old, grey, and weary in but a few centuries, while a youthful beauty you will remain through the ages. And then I would have to leave you." He said, his voice soft and low.

This was the conundrum with mortals and immortals becoming involved thusly; the passage of time would change the mortals, as it should, wear their bodies, inflict their minds and they would grow old and die, whereas the immortal creatures could only stand by and watch, helplessly. Kili cared about Tauriel too much to just ignore that eventual fact. Tauriel took a deep breath and nodded.

"You once asked if I could love you, Kili." she said, gently. Kili's eyes rose to hers again. Tauriel's eyes were soft, but filled with sadness. "My answer is yes." She said. "I already do, and there is not much you can do to change that." She confessed. "I love you no matter what time will do to your earthly vessel. That, I have realized." Kili breathed hard and leaned forward, his forehead on hers, holding their hands together between them.

"I thought about it, and thought about it…I did see one solution." He said, in a low whisper. "You must promise me something, Tauriel."

"What, Kili?"

"That once I pass from this world, you will find love again." He said, his eyes squeezing shut. It hurt him to just think about it; but it hurt more to think of Tauriel withering away in sadness…

Tauriel pulled away from him, letting his hands go, eyes wide with shock.

"I cannot make that promise, Kili."

"Promise that you will try…" he insisted. "My soul would be at peace in the Halls of Mandos knowing I did not condemn you to a life of sadness henceforth once I am gone." Tauriel closed her eyes and shook her head. "I cannot continue like this without that assurance." She heard him say. Tauriel gasped, and pressed her eyes tight with her hands to shut out the light. She felt her fingers, tightly clenched, go cold. In a few moments, he spoke again. "Tauriel…" he whispered, pleading. "Please, Tauriel, promise me..."

It took a few heavy minutes of silence before Tauriel finally was able to look at Kili. His head was bent down, his body still, as if battling his own inner demons, his hold on himself secure. He was trembling, thought. She knew he was being sincere, and deadly serious.

To find love again after the death of your beloved went against the nature of elves, and dwarves alike, which was to love until the end of Arda. But it had been done before, in ages past; elves have remarried, at least once, according to the tales of Finwe, the first high king of the Noldor. Elves had the freedom to marry mortals, but the mortals that had joined with elves were man; and the resulting offspring were Half Elven. These children would have to choose: to accept or reject the Gift of Men, which is death, when their souls would leave Arda altogether after their bodies stilled. If they chose immortality, they would be counted among the Elves, and granted eternal life in the Undying Lands. It was the choice of one such half-Elven, Elros, that gave rise to the Numenorians, the long-lived men of the North whose descendants were now called the Dunedain.

But Tauriel was a full elf; no mortal blood ran through her veins. What Tauriel and Kili were embarking upon was unprecedented; there was nothing to guide them in this, no song or tale, to tell a dwarf and elf in love what to do, or if they could even have children, or what those children would be like, have to face. But one thing was certain, forever was a long time, that Kili knew, and he did not want Tauriel to face it alone. Even though Tauriel could not fathom it for herself, she knew what Kili asked was possible, however much she did not want to even think about it. Another thing was true, though, now, in her reality. For this sweetness, this intensity to continue, and for the love Kili had awakened in her for him, she would agree to anything. She reached out to touch his hand and he grabbed hers tightly. She looked down at their hands, entwined together.

"Alright, Kili. I promise… to try." She whispered, unable to say more. Kili took a deep breath, a sigh of relief, as if a heavy weight was released. He kissed her fingers now wrapped around his. A solemn smile spread over his lips and he looked up with her with intense eyes.

"Now, Tauriel…I pledge my heart, my soul, my body to you, until I last draw breath." Kili placed her hand on his chest, over his heart. "If you would have me."

"I would… and I…pledge myself…to you." She admitted, barely able to speak. All Tauriel could do, as her heart both ached and swelled with bittersweet joy, was wrap her arms around her dwarf, hold him close as her eyes grew full and spilled as they kissed, sealing their promise.

"You made me the happiest dwarf on Middle Earth, Tauriel." Kili said, into her ear, voice full of emotion.

And there it transpired, in the fort at the top of Ravenhill, where a dwarf and an elf pledged themselves to each other, after yielding to attraction, then passion, then falling in love, in the first such joining of a daughter of Iluvatar and a son of Aule in Middle Earth.

It was pure beauty, a light as bright as a simaril, glistening in the dark.


	32. Chapter 32

**Author's Note**

**Moving right along folks.****Hope you enjoy this.**

**Again, thank you my lovelies: Jampaqd, White dragon 50, Adm. J. Kirk McGill, Kaz, MargaritaSC, Bigficfan, Forestdweller89, Haku'slover18, Kasmira36.**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Bilbo placed the large, glistening Arkenstone on a rag, but before he wrapped it, he looked deeply into the radiant gem. Not being one that adored beauty too much, not as much as comfort, he did think the stone exquisite, glowing with the brightness of stars, shimmering with pale colors of the rainbow within. He but he just did not understand why it caused such a strange reaction in Thorin. Bilbo shook his head and shrugged, then wrapped it securely within a rag, and tied it tightly, and stashed it within his cloak. It did not have an effect on him, not like the ring did…<p>

Bilbo stealthily tiptoed his way past the sleeping dwarves around him, noting the empty beds of Fili and Kili in the corner. As he walked to the front gate of Erebor, he looked through the opening above, stars and clouds were just visible, because of the pale torch light within the underground city. During the day, when you looked through that same opening, the clouds and sky formed a moving tapestry in the hole torn out of the mountain. He took a deep breath and climbed up the stone steps to the terrace. There was no turning back now.

...

Up on the stone terrace of Erebor, Fili looked out over the desolate, dark landscape, his eyes drifting up the ridge that Kili pointed out to him earlier, the winding, natural stone path on the face of the mountains flanking the west of Erebor, the same path his brother used the last two nights to join his lover. Fili sighed deeply and shook his head, thinking about their earlier conversation.

Kili assured him he was quite safe last night, up in the Fort at Ravenhill with Tauriel. Kili had pointed out the small fire that produced a slight glow from their vantage point, one that signaled all was well in the ancient dwarf garrison. Fili looked into his brother's eyes as Kili confessed his intentions, with a surety and a peace that was chilling.

As much as it distressed Fili, if he was honest with himself, he knew this was coming. He had seen it in the fire in Kili's eyes, wrought from the tension in the air when Kili and Tauriel looked at each other. There was something special there, that Fili could not deny. His brother was lost…or found, depending on your perspective. But why did his brother have to fall in love, surrender his heart to an elf? Fili questioned the rationality of it with Kili…but the elder prince soon realized that love was passion, not reason. It was not even a choice for Kili, he said.

Fili insisted on joining him for the night watch when Kili volunteered earlier today. Fili was worried for his brother. Kili had been noticeably quiet all day, pensive and introspective. Kili sat before him that evening as they started their night watch again together. They sat within arm's reach on several large stones that had been toppled from above, in an era when a dragon ruled this cavern.

"Fili…I go to her again tonight." Kili said, looking at Fili with uncharacteristic darkness. "If you would let me." Fili groaned and leaned back, crossing his arms.

"You were lucky last night you were not discovered. Why tempt fate?" Fili grumbled, none too pleased.

"My fate is what I wish to clarify this night." Kili said, his voice soft and deep. He clasped his hands and leaned forward. "Tell me, Fili, what do you think Thorin would do, were he to find out about Tauriel and I?" he asked. Fili back at his brother and shook his head.

"I don't even want to consider what uncle would do to you if he did find out." Fili said. "But I know this. He will have nothing of this...this…thing…you have with her." The disgruntled, slightly jealous brother was coming out in Fili.

"I believe so too." Kili said, nodding somberly. "Therefore I have made a decision. Tonight, I will either pledge myself to her..." Kili said, looking up to the Ravenhill fortress. "Or leave her forever." Fili's eyes shot up to his, blinking in disbelief.

"What? Pledge yourself…to an elf?" Fili said, shaking his head. "Or leave her…How will you make such a choice?" Kili looked back at his brother.

"It is not I to make the choice." Kili commented. "It is hers to make. My mind has been made." Kili's eyes dropped, and he stared at the terrace floor. "I can only hope she will agree to my terms…" he said softly. Fili strolled around, rubbing at his beard. What his brother spoke of, it was folly…

"But if you pledge yourself to her…" Fili started.

"I cannot remain in Erebor. I know. Thorin will not allow it." Kili finished his thoughts.

"Are you serious about this?" Fili balked, incredulously.

Kili's eyes rose to his, full of resolve, yet pain. Kili nodded, slowly, but unmistakably in the affirmative, the emotion producing such a swelling in Kili's throat that he could not utter another word. Fili fell to his knees before his brother, shaking his head in disbelief. What Kili was talking about was leaving the fold…the brothers Durin would have to part.

Fili insisted it was a crazy, preposterous plan. Fili ranted and raged at his brother, giving at least two dozen good reasons why it was a horrible idea, but Kili was unmoved. No threat, no deterrent Fili could think of would sway Kili. Fili was quite sure Kili had completely lost his mind; but he could easily see that his brother, the brash, impulsive young dwarf, was also hopelessly, madly in love with this elf, enough so that he would leave everything behind for her, even Erebor. Kili said he would even renounce his claim on the throne to be with Tauriel, if he had to. Kili thanked his brother for his help, and implored him for his further understanding. When Fili, in a fit of despondency refused to give him his blessing, Kili begged him for his forgiveness, but ensured him he would continue on with his plan.

"If you ever really needed me…I would be by your side in an instant, Fili." Kili urged, when again he found his voice. "But this…I must do."

Fili's heart ached with the thought of alienating his brother because of his foolish affection for an elf, their enemy at the moment. What was this craziness, this love that drove his brother to do outlandish things, and leave his family for a stranger? But she wasn't a stranger. Tauriel was the elf who rescued Kili, and left her people to follow and heal him, went against her King for him. And she was also his lover…by all intents, in dwarrow custom, they were already betrothed…

Fili mulled it over, fuming and pacing back and forth, while Kili looked out solemnly over the plain, his back to his aggravated brother. In the end, Fili just could not condemn Kili further for following his heart. Fili felt that to be angry for long with Kili over this was not holding up the honor of dwarves, it was obstinacy. To chase after passion rather than reason was just the way Kili was, and Fili loved him fiercely, despite that. Therefore, with a heavy soul, Fili made a concession. If Kili agreed to join them for this upcoming battle, then Fili would accept his brother's choice, and do everything in his power to urge the others to do the same.

In a way, the fairness of it appealed to Fili. After all, Tauriel was banished from Mirkwood, excised from her people for all she did for his brother. It was fair that Kili leave his people if they would not accept her. But Fili decided brotherhood was paramount; he would do everything he could to not to lose his brother because of this. He believed that is what his mother, Dis, would want of him. It was in the light of all of this bewildering, weighty decision making that Fili was none too pleased with the company that came upon him…

When Bilbo arrived at the top of the gate, he saw Fili sitting on a ledge nearby the wall, his hazel eyes set in a slightly menacing glance his way.

"Ho there, Bilbo. You are up late." Fili said, leaning forward, a slight bit of warning in his eyes. "I thought hobbits adored their sleep." Bilbo clasped his arms around himself and rubbed his arms.

"Um…well, this night I could not sleep." He said, looking back into the dwarf kingdom, pursing his lips. "So…I figured I would come…and see you. And…um, maybe relieve you for watch for some time."

"Oh. No, I do not need relief for watch. Thank you though, Bilbo." Fili said, leaning back. Bilbo looked around. He spied the rope that he planned on using to climb out of Erebor, and go to Dale. It was unfurled, tossed over the ledge. Bilbo thought it strange, but he would not point it out to Fili.

"No, really, it would be just fine for me…and you could get some rest. You look tired, Fili." Bilbo said, trying to push the matter.

"I said I would be fine, Bilbo. I will remain here on watch." Fili insisted, looking briefly at Ravenhill. He had no idea when his brother would return, and it would not do to have Bilbo there to greet him instead…

"Well then…would you mind some company?" Bilbo continued, realizing Fili's resolve. He sat on a bench nearby, and Bilbo looked up at Fili; he seemed tired and encumbered. The stubbornness of dwarves baffled Bilbo sometimes. Bilbo thought maybe the blonde dwarf would relax and fall asleep, and then he could make his move. "It gets lonely sitting in the dark with only one's thoughts to distract you." Bilbo continued, as Fili looked over at him, brows furrowed. "I thought it better to come visit you than wandering about, what with the risk of falling off the walkways and all…or lying in bed listening to everyone snoring." he insisted, a bit lightheartedly. Fili smirked.

"I know, they do make quite the racket." Fili agreed. "But I am afraid I am not much for talking at the moment." Fili warned.

"Oh…why is that?" Bilbo asked, eyeing the rope again. Fili looked back at Bilbo.

"Aside from the obvious?" Fili said, just a bit of his frustration coming out. Bilbo pursed his lips. He tightened his fists and took a deep breath. He broached the topic with Fili, speaking in hushed tones.

"You worry about…this mess we are in." Bilbo said, in a low voice.

"Aye." Fili said, somewhere between annoyed and curious. He felt there was more to this night visit than the Hobbit was letting on.

Bilbo looked around, suddenly remembering; it was the two young dwarves who had agreed to keep watch this night.

"Where is Kili? I thought he was up here with you." Bilbo said, looking around for the dark haired archer. Fili blinked and looked back into Erebor.

"Um…he is probably catching a rest, back inside." Fili said, shifting around uncomfortably.

"No…he is not in his bed." Bilbo said, his brows knitting. His eyes moved over to the thick rope that was hung over the edge of the terrace. Fili's eyes followed his gaze. Bilbo looked quickly away, as did Fili. The atmosphere was becoming awkward.

"Well then, he must be exploring about somewhere in Erebor; I am his brother, not his keeper." Fili said, with a mild smile, one he hoped would hide his growing annoyance and alarm. Why did Bilbo choose this time to come by?

Bilbo blinked his eyes; it was so unlike the Durin brothers to be apart, for any reason. He sensed that Fili was unusually tense. The young, kind dwarf was also not being entirely truthful. And Bilbo remembered that Kili had been acting rather strange today.

"So…where is he really?" Bilbo urged, curiosity getting the better of him. "Has he…gone away?" Fili stood up and tilted his head to one side, circling the hobbit.

"No! How could you consider such a thing…" Fili said, aghast. Then he looked at the hobbit warily. "Bilbo…Why are you here, really?"

Bilbo gulped, and snuck his finger in his waistcoat pocket, fingering the little band of gold. He had to find a way to get down off of this terrace… If he was going to be able to do what he planned, he had to trust Fili. There was no way he could overpower the warrior dwarf, or sneak by him, even with the help of the ring. Bilbo stood tall, showing about as much resolve and intention as he could muster, all his frustration and worry and anger spilling out.

"I just cannot stand by and watch this anymore, Fili. This...siege…this conflict between the elves and men, and us…is this not lunacy?" Bilbo asked, rhetorically. "And…and Thorin…he will not concede to avoid it, to give just a bit of gold…he is ensnared by a goldlust, one that has destroyed his reason, one that is destroying the man I admire..." Bilbo ranted, walking back and forth. "We are in fact outnumbered, are we not? If the armies before us do decide to attack Erebor, we will all perish." Bilbo said.

"Aye. It does seem that we must fight." Fili said, as he crossed his arms. Only the hobbit had the bravery to actually say the truth. Fili knew that even if the dwarves from the Iron hills did arrive, there would be bloodshed, for sure. Bilbo shook his head.

"We will lose…" Bilbo urged. "Well I for one, am not willing to let that happen." Bilbo said, bravely. Fili looked at him, brow raised.

"What do you propose to do about it?" Fili asked, a smirk on his face. Bilbo took several deep breaths and reached into his cloak. He took out the stone and unwrapped it carefully. Fili's jaw dropped to the stones beneath his feet as the large gem, unmistakably the Arkenstone, glowed as if it had captured starlight. "What? Bilbo! What are you doing with this?"

"Bard is an honest man. I intend to give this to him, to bargain with Thorin, so that Bard can make him an offer he cannot refuse…" Bilbo looked down at the stone. "I hope, with this, they can come to a peaceable agreement, so no more blood will be spilt over this gold."

"But…you do not have the right to this. It is the King's Jewel…" Fili said, becoming a bit angry.

"I took it as my fourteenth share of the treasure." Bilbo said, wrapping up the Arkenstone once again.

"But it is priceless…" Fili insisted. Bilbo paused and looked up at Fili.

"So are your lives." He said, tying the bundle securely and tucking the stone back in his coat. Fili looked on, in disbelief. Bilbo headed towards the rope. A sword appeared at his throat. Bilbo gasped and looked back at Fili, who seemed to be bursting with emotion.

"I can't let you leave here with that." Fili said. Bilbo stepped back for a second, mouth open a bit. Then he sighed and put his arms at his side.

"Fili, I am going to Dale this night." He insisted. "To stop me, you will have to kill me."

Fili pursed his lips tightly, conflict racing through his brain. The Hobbit had a good plan, not a great one, but the options were few. If Fili were to let him go, it would be betraying Thorin, betraying his people, by allowing their most precious of gems to fall into the hands of their enemies. But, if Fili did not let him go, it would be forsaking possibly the only chance they had at a peaceful resolution to this bewildering puzzle.

"How do I know…" Fili said, his voice trembling with angst. "That you will do what you say?"

"Because I give you my word." Bilbo said, emphatically. "I will return to Erebor once I am done with my task."

"What is to stop you from taking the stone and going back to the shire you always speak of, on your merry way be gone?" Bilbo's eyes turned to disappointment.

"I…I have spent the last year in your stead, ate with you, fought with you, nearly died with you… I stayed by your sides, again and again when I could have left…even against my better judgement." Bilbo said, with sincerity. "I am part of the company."

"But if you do this, you betray the company." Fili asked, holding the sword closer to Bilbo's throat. "Why would you do this and return to Erebor?"

"I do this and would return to Erebor for the same reason… you all are my friends." Bilbo said softly. "I belong with my friends, whatever comes to pass in the days to come." Fili looked into the Hobbit's face. There was nothing there that would indicate deceit, it was filled with hope and sincerity. Fili lowered his blade slowly. Bilbo released a sigh of relief. "Look, Fili…if you have any question, why don't you follow me there, right to Dale's door, to ease your worry..."

"I cannot risk being captured." Fili said. Bilbo rubbed his chin.

"You could wait outside for me…if it all goes well, I will join you and we will return to Erebor together. If it goes poorly, I will be unable to return, and you can go back to Erebor with the news of what has happened." Fili leaned back against the cold stone of Erebor and looked around, pondering the plan. "Fili, if we are to go, we must go now." Bilbo insisted. Fili sheathed his sword and huffed.

"Lead the way, Master Burglar." He said, with a hard look at Bilbo.

The dwarf and hobbit approaching Dale clung to the shadows of the edges of the valley. The elven watch on the terraces did not see the stealthy pair as they followed along the twists and turns of the river running far beneath the city, below the stone bridges that attached it to the plain before it.

Fili and Bilbo paused underneath one of those bridges and looked up, the gentle glow of the torches above producing minimal light. Bilbo looked over at Fili.

"I will enter here…there is no guard at this gate that I can see." Bilbo whispered. Fili looked puzzled.

"But how will you get around the city unnoticed?" he asked. Bilbo smirked.

"No doubt they will mistake me for a man-child if move fast enough, so they do not notice my feet." Bilbo said softly, looking over at Fili. He nodded.

"I will wait here until your return. But Bilbo…" Fili replied, grasping his companion's arm. Blibo looked back. "Be careful." He urged. Bilbo pressed his lips together and nodded, a serious look of resolve on his face.

A good while after Bilbo left, and there was no ruckus to signal he had been received poorly, Fili scampered out of the shadows of the bridge to move into the shadows to the lee of a large stone nearby, rather close to the edge of the stream. From there, he could see the entrances of two gates. If they came looking for him, he would not be caught under the bridge, and he would have a few seconds to escape. Fili crouched down and observed the fortress city.

It loomed large from his vantage, still awe inspiring despite the destruction that was evident, and the decay that had occurred since the dragon attack. Elves in golden armor and red cloaks lined some of the upper reaches, and the glowing torches within flickered with the passing of people by the windows and holes in the walls. There was a low murmur of voices, of all timbres, punctuated by the lively high voices of children in play, as well as the wails of babes. He pursed his lips. This was a town, a city, now filled with people. A people torn from their home, much like his were; a people who, like the dwarves, just wanted a place to live in peace…they were not so much different than the dwarves now inhabiting Erebor. Then a movement near the gate caught Fili's eye.

A woman was exiting the gate, a satchel over her shoulder, a pail in her hand. She paused a minute, looking around timidly, walking from one side of the walk leading over the bridge to the other. She was searching the shadows. As the woman looked his way, he saw who it was…

"Sigrid…" he whispered, his brows rising in wonder. He peeked out of the shadows a bit, and was greeted by a smile like sunshine on Sigrid's face when her eyes finally fell on him.

* * *

><p>Once out of Fili's view, Bilbo slipped on the ring and slipped into the shadowy, murky, nether world. All about him were white and grey images, the elves being the brightest. In the darkness of the Ringworld, no one paid him any mind, even if he bumped into them, as he scampered along. He walked past many houses, and glanced through the doors, many of them ripped off with the dragon's ire, many of them fallen with age. Within each little house there were people surrounding hearths, huddling for warmth, conversing. Bilbo walked around aimlessly for a while, until he recognized one of Bard's children through a hole in the side of a house; the cute little girl, Tilda. Bilbo sighed with relief, yet trepidation. He would have to enlist their help. In a darkened, hidden corner, he removed the ring, slipping it back into his waistcoat. He walked right up to the door.<p>

"Excuse me…Hello?" a soft young voice said. Bilbo walked into the little room timidly, looking around for whence the voice came. It was Sigrid who greeted him. She gasped at him, in recognition. Bain was there as well, and he and Tilda both stood up, agape at him.

"Hello there…finally, I found you." Bilbo said, with earnest relief.

"Aren't you Bilbo? The hobbit with the dwarves?" Tilda asked, in her sweet young voice.

"Yes, yes that is I." He said, and before he could utter another word, Bain stepped up.

"What are you doing here? How were you not seen?" He asked. Bilbo nodded.

"I know you have many questions, but there is no time…" Bilbo said, clasping his hands together. "Look, it is very important. I have to speak with your father…urgently."

The children looked at each other as if in silent council, wondering if they should trust him, wordlessly. Bilbo looked earnestly at all three.

"Look, I would not risk everything by coming here like this if it were not necessary. It is imperative I let Bard know what I know…for all our sakes." Bilbo continued. "Please, please, please, you must trust me…" he implored. Sigrid pursed her lips, after glancing at her brother.

"Da just went up to meet with King Thranduil, at the top of the hill. Prince Legolas has returned from scouting down south with an old man, a wizard with important news…" Sigrid recounted. Bilbo's eyes widened.

"Could it be Gandalf?" Bilbo gasped, in surprise. "Was he wearing grey? Large staff, tattered hat?"

"I do not hear his name, but yes he was wearing a grey hat, and bore a staff. He looked much like a vagabond, if you ask me…"Tilda remarked.

"Yes, yes! That's him!" Bilbo said, practically jumping up in his excitement. "It is important I speak to them all…" he insisted. Sigrid stole a glance at Bain.

"Bain, would you take him?" she asked.

"I will show him the way, in a minute." Bain said, going into another room. Tilda followed him. Sigrid looked back at Bilbo.

"How are the dwarf brothers…Fili and Kili?" Sigrid asked, quietly, as if she wanted no one else to hear the question. Bilbo furrowed his brows.

"They are fine…just fine." He said. "In fact, Fili came here with me…" he started then clammed up. Bilbo cursed himself for giving that information away…Sigrid lifted her head up, a look of hope and a smile on her face.

"Fili? Is he here?" She said, excitement spreading on her young face. Bilbo shook his head.

"No. Oh no…I …shouldn't have said anything…" Bilbo blubbered. Sounds of Tilda and Bain searching for something in the adjacent room filled the air.

"Bilbo, don't worry, I won't tell anyone else…but…where is he now?" she said, in an urgent whisper. Bilbo shook his head, looking down. Sigrid grabbed his arm, urgently.

"I can't say…." He said.

"Please tell me…" Sigrid urged. "I…I just wanted to see him, for a moment." Bilbo pursed his lips, considering the request. Would Fili be mad at him? Bilbo looked into Sigrid's eyes…they were earnest and pleading.

"When I left him, he was just outside the walls of the westernmost gate." Bilbo acquiesced.

"The one by the bridge?" she whispered, as Bain and Tilda came back into the room.

"Yes." Bilbo whispered, before turning to Bain, who had a short cloak thrown over his arm.

"You may want to wear this." Bain said.

"I found that one yesterday…but you can borrow it." Tilda said, beaming. Bilbo smiled at her.

"Thank you, Tilda…" he said. Bain headed for the doorway, and looked back briefly.

"Come on…" Bain said, waving Bilbo on.

"Right behind you." Bilbo hurried on, leaving with Bain out the little house, up the steep street.

Tilda and Sigrid looked on as Bain and the hobbit, now cloaked in green, rushed up the street. Sigrid bit her lip and looked about the little space they now called home, her hands on her hips. She grunted and grabbed a satchel, a pail, and a shawl. She threw the shawl about her shoulders. Tilda looked on, wonder on her face.

"Are you going to follow them?" Tilda asked. Sigrid shook her head and stood in front of her sister, holding her shoulder.

"No, Tilda, but I will be right back. Stay here, where it is safe, alright?" Sigrid implored the little girl. Tilda nodded, and then Sigrid headed out, covering her head.

On the crest of the bridge, Sigrid looked around, on both sides, searching for the young, blonde dwarf she was told would be there. But there was no sign of him, maybe because he was hiding? Finally, she spotted what seemed to be a figure, and for a moment, she peered hard into the shadow of a stone, some way below the bridge. The shadow moved; the blonde headed dwarf came into view briefly. A smile came to her face.

"Miss?" A voice said behind her, nearly making Sigrid jump out of her skin with a little shriek. She turned around swiftly to see the gilded shoulders and red coat of an elven soldier. "Sorry…I did not mean to startle you…but you should not be out here." He said. Sigrid quickly moved to the other side of the bridge, to take his elven eyes away from the side of the bridge where she had just seen Fili.

"Well that you did." She said, trying to think quickly. She glanced over the side of the bridge. "Um…I seem to have lost something off the side." She said.

"Oh. I will fetch it for you, miss." The elf soldier said. "What was it?" Sigrid stood in front of the elf, shaking her head.

"No…that will not be necessary…uh…I was heading down there myself…to…fetch some water." She said. The elf soldier shook his head in confusion. Sigrid huffed and rolled her eyes. "I was trying to find a quiet place." She said.

"Pardon?" The elf soldier said. Sigrid did her best to play coy.

"The houses are so…full of holes…and …crowded. There is no privacy at all." She said. The elf blinked. "I can't find anywhere I can be alone for a minute, without prying eyes…" Sigrid continued. "And well…to wash up a bit. In peace…" The elf finally opened his mouth and nodded, in realization.

"Oh….oh….I see." He said, looking around. "But miss… it is not safe to be wandering alone out here."

"I won't be going far, or for very long. And if I run into any trouble I can scream quite loudly, I assure you. Would you like me to show you?" Sigrid said, taking in a deep breath.

"No…that would not be necessary." The elf soldier said awkwardly, hands up, backing up. Then he stood at attention. Sigrid looked at him knowingly.

"Um, could you go back inside? I have heard of the keen eyes and ears of elves." She said, coyly. A questioning look flitted over the elf's eyes before he again realized her insinuation. He turned and marched back through the door. Sigrid breathed a sigh of relief.

Sigrid then moved quietly down the side of the entrance, catching quick glances back behind her as she walked down the darkened slope. She arrived at the stone she had seen Fili…but he was no longer there. Disappointed, she looked around, further down the bank.

"Psssst…" Sigrid heard. She spun around, not finding any sign from whence it came. "Pssst…" she heard again, and definitely this time, it came from below the bridge. In the darkness she saw the barely visible figure of a dwarf. Sigrid walked slowly towards the bridge, looking around, down on the ground as if searching for something. She closed the distance once in the shadows quickly. She blinked, unable to see well in the dark…

"Fili?" she whispered.

"Yes…" She heard a low whisper. "It's me." She turned to the voice as she felt a hand gently touch her arm. She turned to the touch and held on to the arm where it came from. She continued to blink until the blonde hair, fair skin and bright eyes of the dwarf prince were easier to see, once her own eyes adjusted. "What…are you doing here?" he asked.

"I…I came to see you." Sigrid said, praying to the gods that Fili would not be able to see her face getting a bit pinker.


	33. Chapter 33

**Author's Note**

**Thank you, my reviewers: ****: Jampaqd, MargaritaSC, Forestdweller89, Haku'slover18, Kasmira36, Amber 85, Tuonora, Forestdweller89, Hobbitpony1, mfaefrie32, kasmira36,touched by .grace.**

**This part is ready...short but sweet**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Fili was the eldest boy of a dwarf woman with a strong will, the child with more sense and patience, the one who always plodded headlong in one direction while his younger sibling meandered about him, like a small planet orbited by a bright moon. He fell into that role by birth order and by training, but it suited his nature, nonetheless. Fili had intrinsic nobility, fairness, and foresight that rose far above his apparent origins in a humble dwarf mining town in Ered Luin. Ever since they were young, Fili had always felt the weight of his family, and then a kingdom were upon his strong, sturdy shoulders, as they spent years hearing about Erebor, their rich kingdom and history. Responsibility of being the eldest male in the household fell on him frequently, as his uncle Thorin was often not present, if not physically then mentally on a journey, ever seeing to bigger motives as the heir of a stolen kingdom.<p>

But Fili would have developed into a more harsh and serious dwarf had he not grown up with Kili. His jovial, quick-witted, untamed brother often got him into trouble, but never let him face it alone. Kili also brought him down to earth, to the here and now, and inflicted on him the unbridled joy of existing in a world wrapped tight by bonds of familial warmth, yet wide open with possibility, only limited by imagination. Kili none too gently pressed his quiet, careful sibling to partake the fervent pleasures of boyhood and the unpredictability of chasing after one's urges and made him all the better for it. They were each other's foil, they tempered each other, tied into each other's life with the bonds of brotherhood, yet laced together securely by true affection. Fili made Kili safer, teaching him to toil his worth, while Kili made sure Fili enjoyed his days and nights to their fullest in adventure or mischief. They fought hard with each other when young, but fought harder for each other once they reached maturity beyond the borders of their town. They became inseparable…

One of the things that the brothers differed in was how they approached the fairer sex; Fili was always reserved, which simply belied shyness in this regard rather than disinterest. While his brother was always searching and openly engaging, Fili watched from afar, and was more timid. Fili did not actively seek out female interaction, but engaged in it if the source that approached was pleasing, much like most dwarf males. Kili made Fili blush scarlet around any female he was fool enough to let Kili know he found attractive. Kili would howl with laughter and gladly take the pummeling Fili gave him for embarrassing him. If given the opportunity, Fili would be the one for a long friendship then slow courtship, while his brother jumped in with both feet, and launched himself at the immediacy of passion, especially in this latest episode, with an elf, nonetheless. Romance also was not foremost in Fili's mind; it was the quest for a lost mountain kingdom waiting for their arrival that figured prominently, especially for the not so small detail of a slumbering dragon…which was no more.

Yet somehow Fili found himself in this predicament; looking up at Sigrid with pleased surprise while hiding in the shadows of a stone city, with elven eyes surveying the land, as the fate of the company relied on the machinations of a hobbit with a priceless stone. Fili withdrew into the shadows when Sigrid was approached by the soldier elf. He fell back against the stone in the shadow, his eyes closed tight, sure that he had been seen and would be captured. But from what he heard of the conversation that then took place between Sigrid and the elf soldier, he had not been detected; she was actually actively distracting the elf. He took that chance to run back under the bridge, to hide in those shadows. He heard her dismissal of the soldier…

Fili held his breath as he saw Sigrid walk down to the stone where he once was. He signaled to her, much against his better judgement. She rushed under the bridge and huddled with him in stillness, waiting for a few moments, listening to see if anyone was stirring up above. Soon, they relaxed, and Fili was sitting close, next to the young woman, face to face.

"How did you know I was here?" Fili continued their discussion, in a low voice.

"Bilbo told me…when I asked for you…" Sigrid said, her eyes wide. She bit her lip a bit and tilted her head, a small, shy, beguiling smile on her face.

"You asked for me?" Fili said, with surprise, swallowing hard. He was ever awkward around women, but with Sigrid he felt a little more comfortable. Maybe it was her quiet gentleness…

"Yes…because…I never really did get the chance to thank you…" Sigrid said, shyly, looking down. "For saving our lives, back there in Laketown. If you had not come by, my sister and I would have died."

"Oh…" Fili said, his humble nature a bit uncomfortable with the accolade. "That…of course…you are welcome…" He was really just looking for his brother then, actually. "I am just glad I got there in time, and you did not perish in the flames." He said. Sigrid smiled and she looked up.

"And, well…You helped me find my courage when I most needed it, that night." She confessed. Fili's brows rose a bit as he smiled bashfully.

"You did not have to look far. I know what it is like to be the eldest. I saw that courage quite easily, in you," Fili said. "And kindness and caring…" he continued, remembering how Sigrid treated them at first sight with compassion, and his brother when close to death. Then Fili became a little self-conscious, and looked away, his cheeks feeling a bit hot. "Um…when you helped my sick brother." He added. Sigrid nodded sweetly.

"And how is he?" Sigrid said. "He seemed to be doing well when he was at the survivor camp." She said. Fili became serious.

"He is fine, mostly." Fili said, brows furrowing together a bit. He knew his brother could very well have a broken heart, right at that moment, if things did not go as Kili wished with Tauriel.

"That elf…she did a wondrous thing that night…healing your brother like that." Sigrid remarked. Fili smirked.

"Yes, that she did." Fili said.

"How did you know her?" She asked.

"We met her in Mirkwood forest…" Fili started, not wanting to get to into the details of their encounter with the wood elves. "Before we came over the lake with your father." Sigrid knit her brows.

"I thought wood elves and dwarves did not get along." She asked.

"True." He said. "There is a history of bad blood there, particularly between our uncle and the elf king."

"That I have heard of, and seen. Yet Kili and Tauriel seem to…" Sigrid knit her brows… "To care …about each other, despite that." Sigrid noted. "I remember seeing them together at the house in Laketown, before the dragon attack. And then I saw them together again in the Laketown survival camp."

"Theirs is an unusual… circumstance." Fili said, surprised at how much Sigrid had observed. "To say the least." Fili muttered, not wanting to talk more on it.

A slightly awkward silence crept in. Sigrid looked away from him, towards Erebor, her young face becoming more serious. Fili took that time to look back at Sigrid's gentle, rounded silhouette, and her tiny nose…

"So…is Erebor what you expected it to be?" She asked, softly, returning to his gaze.

"I don't really know what I was expecting; but it is far grander than anything I could have imagined." Fili said softly, as he looked back at Sigrid. "But vast parts of Erebor are demolished, from the dragon thrashing about, and burning everything." He said. Fili glanced back at Sigrid. "How is Dale?"

"Devastated." She said. "But still in better shape than Laketown…" she said, smiling a bit sadly. Fili mirrored her sadness in his own eyes. He knew full well how much of an effect the dragon had on Sigrid's life. Both of their peoples had suffered so much under Smaug. He looked back at the Lonely Mountain.

"Erebor. It is very different from where I grew up." He said. Sigrid tilted her head.

"Oh…where was that?" She asked.

"In Ered Luin, the Blue mountains; there is a little settlement where my people went to after Smaug attacked Erebor." He said. "It was quiet, with large forests surrounding it to hunt." He said then he leaned back a little, his eyes rising up a bit as he remembered.

"Did men live there too? Or Hobbits?" she asked. Fili looked away, pondering it, rubbing his beard.

"No, just dwarves, and the Watchers that wander around in the wilderness." He said.

"Is it also an 'unusual circumstance'… for man and dwarf to be…friends?" She asked, timidly. "Not many dwarves have ventured near the long lake recently." Fili furrowed his brows.

"No…I don't think so. My mother and her brother used to work in the cities of man. And in places nearby Ered Luin, like Bree, man, dwarf and hobbits live side by side." Fili explained. "From the tales I was told, the people of Dale and Erebor were goodly neighbors in the past." Fili looked towards Erebor. Sigrid nodded earnestly and paused, with a pensive expression.

"So…do you think the dwarves of Erebor and the men of Dale will ever be able to live as affable neighbors?" she asked. "Can we build those bridges, yet again?"

"I certainly hope so." Fili said, looking into her eyes. Tentatively, he continued. "Maybe once this conflict is over, and the bitterness subsides, we can all be friendly again. Openly."

"Is that not what we are now?" Sigrid asked. "Friends?" Fili smirked.

"Yes, yes…I guess we are." He said, with realization.

Sigrid pursed her lips and looked down. Fili shook his head, feeling he had to broach a more serious topic with Sigrid.

"I wanted to tell you. I am so sorry about that…what happened at Laketown." Fili said. "The whole place…being destroyed like that. I feel we are responsible…" Talking quietly in this manner, without direct angry confrontation, was Fili's way. And from what he could gather about this young woman besides him, it was her way too.

"That was not your fault, Fili." Sigrid said, a serious look on her face.

"But, all of it… it is my people's fault." He insisted. "We woke up the dragon." Fili said, not willing to just push aside the guilt just yet.

"Well, there is nothing more can be done about that." Sigrid said gently, patting his hand. "The dragon is dead now, beneath the cold waters of the Long Lake." She continued, however. "You did what you could to help my father kill the dragon… you helped to save many lives."

Fili froze, staring at her little hand, on his, as Sigrid talked. He could not believe it; this young woman from Laketown was trying to assuage his feelings of guilt…Fili looked up at Sigrid slowly, at her wavy brown hair and soft brown eyes, and her gentle, rounded features. Something within him stirred.

"Innocents were slain…" Fili said, with a low voice. "I wish I could do more." Sigrid pursed her pink lips and knit her brows.

"More? What more could you do?" Sigrid urged gingerly.

"I wish I could grant you the gold your father seeks. The money your people need. But Thorin will not agree to it." He sighed, looking down.

"Why won't your uncle agree to help us?" Sigrid asked him bluntly. Fili's eyes rose to hers.

"He is angry about the presence of the elf army here. There is mistrust in his heart." Fili said. "But, if I am honest, I feel he is not correct in holding back remunerations."

"Have you told him this?" She asked.

"Yes…but he is the King, and we must follow his wishes. But that does not stop us from continuing to try and change his mind." He said.

"Well, I hope you will be successful with that, but time grows short…" She said. Fili pursed his lips and looked back at Erebor.

Some movement occurred above in Dale, and people's voices were heard just within earshot. Fili and Sigrid huddled together in silence until they heard the voices no more. Sigrid pursed her lips.

"I guess I should go now…before they come looking for me, and find you." Sigrid whispered, a little sadly.

Fili was surprised at how he felt about that. Sad. Uncomfortably sad…

"Yes…I guess you should…go." He said. They both became quiet and looked away, a bit uneasily. When Fili turned back to Sigrid to say some last words, he was shocked…Sigrid gave him a quick little peck on the lips. He was taken aback.

"What did you do that for?" Fili blubbered clumsily. Sigrid became mortified.

"Oh…I…I'm sorry..." she babbled, wide eyed. Fili realized quickly that his response was making her fret. But…her little kiss was not unpleasant or unwanted…

"Sigrid…" he said, with a soft voice, trying to calm her.

"I…I shouldn't have…I…am not usually so brash…" she said, scooting away a little, becoming quite upset.

"Sigrid…" Fili said again, even softer, slower, scooching a little closer to her as she continued to fuss.

"I didn't mean to offend—"

Sigrid's words were cut short when, in a quick move, Fili lifted her chin and kissed her firmly, square on the lips, silencing her apology. Her lips were soft and warm, and felt like little pillows. Sigrid sucked in a breath and then kissed him back, once the shock wore off.

They backed away from each other a little, their eyes opening slowly. Fili smiled softly, looking into her warm, light eyes, which were blinking with pleased surprise.

"I was not upset that you kissed me…just that it was so short…and you beat me to it." Fili said, with a wan little grin. Sigrid returned the shy smile.

They kissed again, for longer this time, as her little hand held his cheek, and when their lips parted, her finger gently traced his moustache and she held on to the little braid that hung there for a second, as she bit her lower lip. Then Sigrid wordlessly turned and left his sight, but not before giving Fili a last glance once out in the open, out of the darkness of the shadows beneath the bridge. Fili would never forget that image of her; Sigrid, the dragonslayer's daughter, with a shawl draped over her brown curls, her sweet, innocent face, those kind eyes and that shy little smile that made him feel light, somehow.

Fili sat back, bewildered, after she was gone. Could it be that he had just kissed the supposed enemy? He brushed his lips with his hand, which were much rougher than her soft lips. He blinked a bit, as a coy grin took residence on his lips.

"My brother must be rubbing off on me." Fili mused to himself, shaking his head. "By Mahal, please help me…" he chuckled.

* * *

><p>Bard and Thranduil had been up in his quarters, discussing the plans for approaching the gates of Erebor in the morning. Bard was disturbed about the whole thing, but resigned to it. Thranduil was characteristically detached about the whole ordeal, seemingly distracted. Then Legolas burst in with an air of urgency and concern on his youthful, elven features, and introduced the rather scraggly, tall, old man that arrived with him as Gandalf. The man wore tattered, dirty grey vestments and a long coat, yet he had a sparkling, magnificent sword around his waist, and bright, clear intense eyes. He moved around spritely, for a man his apparent age, and carried a large staff in his hand with a stone in it that was peculiar. Bard nodded in greeting, and introduced himself briefly.<p>

"I am Bard, of Laketown." Gandalf received him with a raised brow.

"This is the bowman I spoke of." Legolas interjected.

"Ah…" The elderly man said in realization. "He who slayed the dragon. Hmm." Bard's brows furrowed, yet he stood still as the man in grey walked around him, as his sharp eyes regarded him, up and down, his lips pursed. "Girion's blood runs strong in you." Bard's brow rose. How would this man know about his ancestry?

"Mithrandir…" Thranduil said, redirecting their new guest's attention, with an air of grace suiting the age and prominence of his newest guest, but it did not hide the King's annoyance. "I did not know we would have such pleasure…" The elf King said, not even bothering to get up from his ornate throne in situ. "What brings you so far east, Wizard?" he asked. Gandalf walked commandingly through the Kings tent to look to the south.

"The darkness has arisen again." Gandalf said. "I came here to warn you all…" Bard's stomach twisted with alarm. What more threats were they facing? He glanced over at Thranduil. Thranduil seemed to twitch, then he again grew still, his eyes shifting to glare at the wizard. "This is the last move in a master plan." Gandalf said, shaking his head. "A plan long in the making."

"What sort of plan?" Thranduil asked, minimally impressed. Gandalf turned around to look back at the elf king. Bard was in awe of how this person, appearing like a vagabond, was being regarded by Thranduil and Legolas. Gandalf shook his head and waved his arms.

"Listen…you must set aside your petty grievences with the dwarves. War is coming! The cesspools of Dol Guldor have been emptied." He said. Bard noticed that both Legolas and Thranduil stood at attention for a moment, worry etched on the face of the prince, concern a fleeting emotion across Thranduil's otherwise disinterested countenance. "You are all in mortal danger!" he warned. Bard could keep silent no longer.

"What are you talking about?" Bard said, approaching Gandalf, his worry growing. Thranduil huffed behind him.

"I can see you know nothing of wizards, Bard." Thranduil said, shaking his head as he poured two goblets of burgundy wine. He offered one to Bard, and then turned to glare at Gandalf. "They are like winter thunder on a wild wind rolling in from a distance…breaking hard in alarm." The king mocked. "Sometimes a storm is just a storm."

Bard was confused at Thranduil's apparent dismissal of his long-bearded guest. From what he had heard of wizards, they were great, powerful beings, as old as the eldest elves, and just as wise. There was so much more going on than was seen on the surface between these ancient beings, it baffled him. He glanced over at Legolas, who pursed his lips and crossed his arms, looking hard at his father. Obviously, Legolas was taking this Gandalf seriously.

"Not this time." Gandalf said, pacing about. "Armies of orks are on the move. These are fighters. They have been bred for war." Bard glanced quickly at Legolas, who was listening intently next to his father. He was nodding. "Our enemy has summoned his full strength." Thranduil took a deep breath and strolled away, a barely perceptible pursing of the lips betraying his concern.

"Why show his hand now?" Thranduil questioned. "What about this particular moment in time is so exceptional?"

"Because we forced him." Gandalf said, exasperation flowing into his manner. Thranduil swept around to face him.

"We, Mithrandir?" He asked. The wizard bent forward a bit, eyeing the elf king.

"We forced him when the company of Thorin Oakenshield set out to reclaim their homeland." He said, in a low voice. He walked across the tent to venture onto the terrace facing the Lonely Mountain. "The dwarves were never meant to reach Erebor. Azog the defiler was sent to kill them." He said. They all moved to follow Gandalf out to the terrace. "His master seeks control of the mountain. Not just for the treasure within, but for where it lies, its strategic position. This is the gateway to reclaiming the lands of Angmar in the north."

Bard started to scratch his beard with worry; such was a similar discussion with Legolas earlier. He shook his head. First, the Lakemen were forced from their town by a marauding dragon…and now, what remained of his people were in harm's way of forces greater than they, for concerns not their own. All they wanted was a place to survive, a place of refuge. The wizard continued his warnings.

"If that fell Kingdom should rise again—Rivendell, Lorien, the Shire, even Gondor itself shall fall!" he proclaimed.

Thranduil walked around, a far look in his eye as he considered the wizard's prediction. With a serious look on his face, he turned to Legolas.

"Did you see such things on your journey, Legolas?" Thranduil asked coolly. Legolas huffed and shook his head. Thranduil floated over to Gandalf. "These ork armies you speak of, Mithrandir…" He came in close behind the grey haired man. "Where are they?" He asked, rhetorically.

Gandalf huffed and walked out of the tent, grumbling to himself.

Bard looked on as Thranduil glanced after retreating wizard, but it was not the gloating stare as he had expected to see. The grey eyes were alert, his flawless face with jaws set tight in grave concern. Thranduil turned his head towards Bard, to address the bowman, who was taking all of this information in, with great worry again on his brow.

"But what the wizard spoke of…these are not just dire imaginings..." Bard queried his powerful ally.

"Until such calamities present themselves, we should continue with our plan to advance on Erebor. For inaction simply breeds fretfulness and further dire imaginings." Thranduil said, walking slowly back to his chair. He sat down heavily. Bard pursed his lips and nodded in reverence before taking his leave of the King. There was much to think on, and no one felt much like planning a siege. Legolas slowly walked up to his father.

"Father. I believe what he says is truth. Last night, in the south…" Legolas started. His father turned away.

"I saw it and felt it as well." Thranduil said, in a low voice.

"You have felt it…as have I." He insisted, the prince's face set in angered disquiet. "If what Mithrandir says is true, we will soon be facing a problem greater than obstinate dwarves." He continued.

"If what he says is true, may Iluvatar help us all." Thranduil said.


	34. Chapter 34

**Authors note:**

**You must bear with me in this chapter, folks. It contains so many of my favorite quotes, I just had to keep them intact so I hope you do not grow bored. They just may not be in the same exact context as the movie...Trying to get these out chapters out as soon as I get them done. I know you guys are clawing...So am I!**

**Some of these passages were hard for me to write, mainly because they were uncomfortable situations. And others of course, were effortless and satisfying. I am sure you will figure out which ones I speak of…**

**Thank you again my lovelies, for your critiques: Amber 85, Jampaqd, mfaerie32, Kasmira36, .grace, Haku's lover 18, Entliinateuti, Talizinha, Eclaire stones, Celebrisilweth, JoGregor**

**Enjoy**

**AW**

* * *

><p>"Inflexible, uppity wood elves…self-centered, gangly tree dwellers… and they say dwarves are stubborn." Gandalf quarreled to himself, as he left the King's presence. He walked stiffly over to a pile of stones and set himself upon them weightily. All he really needed now was a slow, deep drag of burning pipeweed. He put his staff to lean against a nearby wall and began to rummage about himself for his pipe. He found it, and then roughly started to clean out the bowl. After firmly repacking it, he conjured a flame to light the fragrant tobacco and took several deep draughts. After a few moments, he groaned and put his hands on his knees, shaking his head.<p>

"I wonder, sometimes, why do I bother with any of them?" Gandalf lamented. "Throughout the ages I warn, but they do not heed my notice…"

Gandalf was a Maia, one of the five emissaries of his order sent by the Valar to help ensure that the free peoples Arda survive and thrive. They were given free will, free reign, and mystical powers, but they were not all powerful. The grey wizard was the one who became more involved, more attached to certain peoples; and certain persons in particular, especially among Hobbits and Dwarves and Elves. Because of his longevity, with his long memory, he recalled the times of peace and war that these people suffered through, great loss that was preventable, when they argued amongst themselves. When they warred with the forces of Evil, such as the confrontations against Melkor and his servant Sauron, such loss of life was not preventable…but it was necessary for the very soul and spirit of Middle Earth. And such a war was again brewing; and these petty disputes over gold meant nothing in comparison, to him. Gandalf guffawed to himself. But gold meant everything to some…especially dwarves infected with gold lust. And Thorin was well in its throes, he feared.

Later that night, after Bard had left, Gandalf again entreated Thranduil, alone in his tent. His guidance was met with greater resistance from the elf king. It seems Thranduil had been rather tame in the presence of the Lakeman. It was not right that these two ancient, powerful souls should be at such odds.

"Since when has my counsel amounted to so little?" Gandalf said, becoming irate. "What do you think I am trying to do?"

"I believe you will do anything to save your dwarfish friends." Thranduil glared. "and I admire your loyalty to them." He added, patronizingly. "But it does not sway me from my path." Gandalf groaned turned his back on the elf king. Thranduil grew incensed.

"But they are vastly outnumbered…there is no glory in a one-sided war, Thranduil." Gandalf said.

"I have witnessed your conniving, your meddling, the puppetry you have attempted to craft out of Arda for many a year, Mithrandir." Thranduil accused. Gandalf swung around to face Thranduil, surprise on his face.

"Everything I do is for the peace and stability of Middle earth!" Gandalf insisted, angrily. Thranduil looked at the Maiar coldly. Gandalf puffed furiously on his pipe.

"The dwarves have run out of time." Thranduil snapped. He leaned in close to the Grey Wizard. "You started this, Mithrandir…you will forgive me… if I finish it."

Gandalf wandered around Dale after his latest unsuccessful conversation with Thranduil. Speaking with the elf king of Mirkwood was like trying to talk down a Balrog…he spied Bard the Bowman.

"Yo there…Bowman!" Gandalf shouted out to the tall, elegant man. Bard stopped and turned to him, his face set in worry, leaning towards shock. Gandalf approached him.

"You…do you agree with this…this siege on the dwarf kingdom?" Gandalf asked. Bard pursed his lips, and even thought it seemed it was not possible, the pressure seemed to grow heavier on the Lakeman, his shoulders dropping.

"They have left us no choice. Thorin refuses to negotiate." Bard said, throwing up his hands. "He was warned." Gandalf grunted.

"Hah…a dwarf will not negotiate when forced into a corner. They will act just as a wild animal would when they are threatened. Thranduil…I know his ways…he will not bat an eye if there are less dwarves in Arda. But you…is gold so important to you that you would forcefully take it, stained with the blood of dwarves?" Bard grew a little irritated.

"I have seen enough bloodshed for a hundred lifetimes, Wizard. I wish no more to be spilt, anyone's blood…" he said. "What I do care most for is the lives of my children and my people, and we have suffered enough at the hands of that winged serpent. We are due what we were promised." He said, turning around. "Besides, it will not come to that. I believe Thorin to have more sense than a wild animal in a corner. This is a fight they cannot win."

"That won't stop them!" A clear voice rang out in the night. Both Bard and Gandalf turned around to the sound.

"Bain?" Bard said, as his son came into view and walked closer. A small person cloaked in green stepped out from behind Bain. He lowered his hood to reveal the reddish-brown locks and serious, strained, yet youthful face of the hobbit, his face drawn. Gandalf's expression changed to pleased surprise. Bard shook his head in wonder, taking a second to recognize the dwarves' companion. Bilbo continued.

"You would think the dwarves would surrender, but they won't. They will fight to the death to defend their own!" Bilbo said, urgently.

"Bilbo baggins!" Gandalf said. Bilbo flashed a wide, pleased smile at his old friend.

"Aren't you the hobbit who was with the dwarves?" Bard said. Bilbo nodded quickly.

"Yes…yes that was me." He said. Bard tilted his head and looked around.

"How did you get here?" he asked. Bilbo grimaced and shook his head, holding up his hands.

"That…that is really not important…I have to talk to you and the elf king, urgently." Bilbo said, desperately trying to not have to explain the way he moved about unseen. Bard and Gandalf looked at each other. They looked back at the Elf king's tent. Gandalf turned to Bard.

"You go first." He sighed, nodding. Bard turned slowly to the wizard, a slightly disgruntled look on his face.

* * *

><p>Gandalf and Bard stood rather awkwardly in the Kings tent as Legolas looked on and Thranduil strolled around the Hobbit, looking down on him disparagingly.<p>

Thranduil huffed. He now really had enough of all this. His first foray out of Mirkwood in centuries was proving to be quite the trial for the disgruntled elf king. Yet there was something about this hobbit that was puzzling, something about him disturbed, yet intrigued Thranduil.

"So…it was you who stole the keys, and freed my prisoners, from right under my guard's noses…" Thranduil said, as he sat in his chair with some flair. Bilbo cringed. Not a great first impression to make…

"Um…yes, well. That was me." He said, shifting around uncomfortably. "Sorry…" Thranduil pursed his lips and gave Bilbo a glare of disapproval that could have melted pure steel…

"What was it that you needed to tell us?" Bard asked, pulling Bilbo's attention away, not caring much about his escape artistry.

"Oh yes…" he said, clearing his throat. Bilbo reached into his pocket. "Well actually, I came here to give you this…" he said, pulling out the package, fiddling with it for some time, finally managing to untie it. Thranduil and Bard looked on, mystified, he king growing slightly impatient. The ragged ends of the dark cloth fell back and revealed the oval, iridescent glowing diamond, a wonder to behold. Everyone stood at attention and gasped.

"The heart…of the mountain." Thanduil said, becoming instantly entranced by the beautiful, exquisite stone. "The King's Jewel..." he whispered, looking at Bilbo in awe. Did the hobbit know how precious this treasure was?

"And worth a King's ransom for its return." Bard said, walking up to the stone, nodding. As gorgeous as it was, it did not awe him like it did Thranduil. He saw this treasure more as a burdensome thing. But, the small detail of ownership disturbed Bard. "How is this yours to give, hobbit? Is this not the crowning glory of the treasure of Erebor, the property of the dwarf king?"

"Well, when I ventured on this quest, an agreement was made that I would take a fourteenth share of the treasure by helping them wrest their kingdom from the clutches of the dragon. Well, the dragon is no more and the dwarves are back in their rightful place but…there are complications."

"Yes. Such as towns destroyed by dragonfire." Bard said. "And debts to be paid."

"Yes…" Bilbo said. "So, I took the stone as my share. And now, I give it to you." Bard was shocked. Neither of them was owed anything by this hobbit.

"Why do help us like this?" Bard asked, a bit confused. "You owe us no loyalty or payment…" Bilbo cocked his neck to one side, and blinked a few times, becoming serious.

"I am not doing this for you." he insisted quietly, shaking his head. "Look…I know that dwarves can be obstinate, and pig-headed and difficult…and suspicious and secretive…with the worst manners you can possibly imagine…but I have also found that they are brave… and kind, generous… and loyal to a fault." He proclaimed, looking at all of them in turn. "I have grown very fond of them and I would save them if I can." Bilbo said earnestly. "They are my friends." Bilbo said, with a sweet, sad little smile.

Bard pursed his lips, reflecting on the fact that he had seen some of these traits in the dwarves he had interacted with. He saw the rudeness in Dwalin, but also the strength in his nature; he had seen the obstinate ways of Thorin, but also his courage and fortitude. He had witnessed the graciousness of Balin, the loyalty and kindness of Fili, the equanimity of Kili, the industry of Oin, and the resilience of Bofur. He had also beheld the selflessness and bravery of three of them when facing a fire breathing dragon in order to save the lives of the people remaining in Laketown. It was the better qualities of dwarves that he could appreciate, and that was what made Bard's heart heavy, and made him take great pause while planning this siege with Thranduil.

"Now, Thorin values this stone above all else. In exchange for its return, I believe he will give you what you are owed…there will be no need for war." Bilbo proposed.

Bard looked over at Thranduil and could find no malice in his gaze. The elf king looked back at him, and nodded.

"We can only hope that what you say comes to pass…" Thranduil said, with a bit of darkness.

"We can at least try." Bard interjected. Gandalf sighed and smiled, having both sentiments in his mind as well.

* * *

><p>"You took quite the risk bringing the Arkenstone here, Bilbo." Gandalf said, nodding at his brave little hobbit as they left the King's tent. "You deserve to have a full stomach and a warm bed." He said, patting Bilbo on the shoulder. Bilbo looked up.<p>

"I thank you for the offer, and will be only too happy to rid you of some of the king's delectable food in a moment, because I will choke if I have to eat yet another piece of cram, but…after that….I need to get back." He said, assuredly.

"You do realize, my dear Bilbo…what you have done, I doubt Thorin would ever forgive you for doing." Gandalf warned. "He would smite you dead right where you stand did he know of this." Bilbo shook his head.

"It is for his own good. Look, I don't know what it is, the dragon, the gold or that sparkly stone, but something has made Thorin…not himself!" Bilbo said, exasperated. Gandalf pursed his lips and rubbed at his jowls.

"Hmm." He grunted. "It is as I have feared; he has fallen for the same weakness that consumed his grandfather." Gandalf said, shaking his head. "So…Thorin is not thinking clearly, under normal circumstances at the moment. This, this would be treason in his eyes." Gandalf said. "I would be prudent to stay clear of him."

"I am not afraid of Thorin…" Bilbo said, with a touch of sadness. Gandalf pursed his lips.

"Well, you should be afraid of him…in the light of such illness, friendship goes only so far, my dear burglar."

* * *

><p>Now that he was back from his father's errand, one that brought them worse news than they expected, Legolas had the time to attend to his other concern. It was very early in the morning, but Legolas had not rested at all; he had been searching around Dale all night for Tauriel. He knew she was alive, and nearby... He spent most of the night searching, speaking to the elf sentries, asking about any signs of the red haired warrior. They all denied any news or sighting of the former Captain of the Guard. But Tauriel was more to him than a captain. He knew Tauriel was well able to take care of herself in most situations, but with the possibility that orks would be carpeting this valley, his drive to find his friend was becoming more urgent. There was only one sure way to find out where Tauriel was, however distasteful. He had to confront another friend in a lie...<p>

Now, it is well known that elves are unable to lie; but with that tendency comes the ability to know when others do. When they had left Tauriel at the side of the river, it was Bard who lingered behind in silence, visibly bewildered by the occurrences of that afternoon. Legolas thought that Bard would have seen where she went. Before leaving to the south before, he questioned Bard about Tauriel, later that very day. Bard denied any knowledge of her whereabouts. Legolas had looked into the man's eyes then and knew immediately Bard was not being entirely truthful. He decided not to call him out on it…at that time.

Legolas still remembered his heart standing still as is father brought his great blade to her throat that day… He knew Thranduil was furious. But Legolas did not know if he was capable of hurting Tauriel; or capable of holding back from hurting her, after what she had done, without his intercession. Legolas felt he had to intervene, and so he did; he asked his father for mercy for her. He was greatly relieved when Thranduil left her there, alive on the riverside. Being banished was bad enough, but at least she was alive.

That accomplished, Legolas could not hide his disappointment and anguish from Tauriel at that moment. Tauriel had abandoned all reason, actually threatened their king, his father, for that bloody little imp of a dwarf, Kili. Ridiculous. Legolas was furious with her at that moment, and would not go to her. He saw her look of deep sadness when her eyes met his. He had to look away, and walk away. How could he possibly forgive her for what she had done?

Hours of riding alone in silence to and from the south on his recent expedition gave Legolas time to think, about everything. He was a grown elf, and becoming more disgruntled with the way his father had been acting. He had to admit to himself how much Tauriel meant in his life, but being a friend meant more than expecting obedience. The way he was acting, was he really Tauriel's friend? Was it his place to make a value judgement on her choice of other friends? Could he blame Tauriel for trying to protect Kili, if he had saved her life before? Is that the way he would have acted, if he was in the same situation? By her actions, wasn't she just demonstrating the true meaning of loyalty? Or was he just jealous at the loss of her attention, upset at seeing her attentions shift to the most unlikely of characters, a dwarf? There were so many questions he wanted to ask her. But at this point, he just wanted to do everything he could to warn her, and make her safe.

Immediately after their discussion in the tent with the hobbit last night, Legolas walked slowly behind Bard and Bain into the central square of Dale, on a hunch, following them down the hill stealthily. Lakemen were all about, very industrious even at that late hour, cleaning up the town, collecting weapons on large racks outside of a town hall of sorts. Weapons that, no doubt, were to be used to soon. When they arrived at his house, Bard looked around and grabbed his son's shoulders, whispering intently, so that none else could hear. That is, none other than a curious elf prince with acute ears…

Bard then had a serious conversation with his son.

"Listen, Bain…I do not know what will happen tomorrow, but…I need you to promise me this. While I am gone to Erebor in the morning, stay with your sisters, and protect them, no matter what happens to me, alright?" Bard said, pursing his lips. "I will be counting on you."

"But…you will come back to us, won't you?" he asked.

"If I am physically able, boy, I will. Now, will you do as I ask?"

"Yes Da…but…do you think we will be attacked again? By armies of orks this time?" Bain said, his young face becoming fearful.

"By all the gods, I hope not." Bard said, sadly. Unfortunately, Bard was beginning to believe that to be true. "But if they do come, you must arm yourself and your sisters. Our only option will be to fight, if that comes to pass." He said, patting his distressed son on the side of the head. Bain's eyes became wide and saddened. Bard shook his head…this was not what boys his age should be worrying about; death at the hands of orks…or dragons… But alas, such was their world. Bain gasped.

"What of Tauriel?" Bain said, with despair. "She is all alone up there…" Bard grunted, concern on his features. He looked up in thought for a moment.

"Look, Bain. You must go there and warn her tomorrow….tell her she should come into the city."

"And what if she does not come?" He asked. "Should I try to convince her?"

"Your duty is done once you deliver your warning. What she does is her choosing. Return here immediately afterwards, you hear?" he insisted. Bain nodded his head rapidly.

"Yes, Da." Bain said, and then they entered their home to greet his daughters.

Listening in to that conversation had confirmed Legolas'suspicions…Legolas fell back against a wall in the shadows, a little upset that he had been lied to…but he now knew Tauriel was alive, and well, and he intended to find her long before Bard's son would get to run his errand.

Yet by the daybreak, he still had not found her. It was past first light, the city shadows beginning to form in the early morning when Legolas took that as his cue to visit Bard after being unsuccessful in his search for Tauriel. He walked down Bard's street, with no effort to do so quietly. He made more noise than an elf normally would. He stopped in the doorway of the partially destroyed house that Bard and his children now called home. They had a rather heavy tapestry hanging up, acting as a door of sorts. He tapped on the stone archway gently a few times with a piece of metal, pulled aside the tapestry and poked his head into the humble abode. He whistled softly and called out with a low voice.

"Bard… Bard. Are you awake?" Legolas whispered loudly.

Now, Bard had been in a rather restless and light sleep, given all the worries he had about the impending day. Bard heard the movement on the stone littered path and was wide awake by the time he heard someone tapping on their doorway. He rose from the bed and responded.

"Yes? Legolas…is that you?" Bard said, walking from the little room they used to sleep in together, into the main living quarters.

"Bard, may I have a word with you?" Legolas asked quietly, his voice low.

"Of course, my Lord." Bard replied, with a subtle nod. He followed when Legolas exited, and walked a short way down the hill, away from Bard's place, to a place where the buildings were so damaged that no one took up residence there. Bard approached the prince, standing just before him. Legolas shaped his lips in a small smile, but his handsome face was stark with concern, his eyes stern.

"I am sorry I bid you wake so soon." Legolas started.

"Sleep was not easy this night. What is it, my friend?" Bard asked, mirroring the elf's seriousness.

"I am looking for Tauriel. Have you seen her?" Legolas said, not mincing words. Bard pursed his lips and sighed internally.

"Not recently…" Bard answered, looking away, then back at Legolas. "Not since your father banished her."

"I really must speak to her." Legolas insisted. "She must learn of the danger we may all be in." Bard took a deep breath and put his hands on his hips.

"Are you coming to me as your father's emissary?" Bard asked, voice low.

"I am coming to you because I am in worried about a dear friend." Legolas said, a pleading insistence in his eyes. Bard looked over to the tall outpost between Dale and the Lonely Mountain, Ravenhill.

"Last we saw of her, she was in those buildings." Bard said. Legolas looked up to the high structures, his jaw set tight.

"How long ago was that?" Legolas asked. He would have never thought to look there…

"Bain saw her yesterday, to give her supplies. She is acting as sentry over the whole valley." He said, pointing to a small fire on the hill. "The fire still burns…all is well with her." He said. Legolas nodded in thanks and made a swift move towards the spired ruins. Bard placed an arm on Legolas. Legolas looked back at Bard, eyes focused and questioning.

"Legolas…you know she was right to do what she did at the riverside." Bard said, in a low voice. "For all our sakes…" Legolas stared at him harshly.

"Tauriel committed what could be considered high treason against her king." Legolas said, nearly wincing. "He…was right to banish her." He still did not believe that the captain he trained did such a thing, that fact hurting him.

"She knew the dwarf had to return to his people. It was not befitting to use him as a pawn. No good would have come of it." Legolas tilted his head to the side, his face cross. Bard continued, trying to convince the disgruntled elf. "It would have been akin to the people of Dale demanding a ransom for the life of Thorin's kin. That is a rather distasteful way of conducting negotiations, and that is not the way neighbors should start their interactions."

"Thorin is not acting very neighborly, now is he?" Legolas retorted.

"Thorin did not harm any of our kin, Not yet. If your father had hurt or killed that young dwarf, there would be no negotiating with Thorin at all." Bard insisted. "When we were at the survivor's camp, we were supposed to talk to Kili to convince him of our plight, so that he would speak to his uncle once back in Erebor." Legolas smirked. "Not bind and jail him."

"Well, that did not happen as planned." Legolas said, crossing his arms. "There is no reasoning with dwarves..." Bard shook his head.

"I must respectfully disagree…I spoke with him briefly afterwards. Kili was quite agreeable…and sympathetic to our plight." Bard said, knowing that the dwarves bore no malice towards the people of Laketown, and now of Dale, persay. But now, their close association with the elves had created an issue.

"I hear that your first attempt to negotiate with the new residents of Erebor was not so successful." Legolas reminded him.

"I still think Kili will be a voice of reason, and will speak on our behalf within those walls."

"Even with him back in Erebor, it seems it will be difficult to get anything you need from Thorin." Legolas said. Bard pursed his lips, nodding, rubbing his beard.

"The hobbit has given us the means to be more insistent." Bard acquiesced, nodding. "I certainly hope it works."

"And so we shall try." Legolas said, breathing hard. "But this will not be pleasant, for anyone."

Bard crossed his arms, seeing the opportunity he needed to ask a question burning in his mind since he talked with Thranduil on the shores of Laketown.

"Your father…does he have plans for Erebor?" Bard asked, gingerly. Legolas looked back at him with confusion.

"Plans?" He repeated. "What are you asking?" Bard cleared his throat and shifted around rather uncomfortably.

"Is he planning to seize Erebor…and take it for his own?" Bard asked, in a low voice. "I am no fool…He can very easily overpower those dwarves." Legolas stepped back, surprised at the question. He looked hard at Bard.

"No. He has no desire to expand his reign to include the Lonely Mountain." Legolas said, turning to look northwest of the lonely mountain, where a new surge of dread drew his consciousness. The heaviness and foreboding that his father felt, Legolas now felt, stronger than ever before. "But…we are all worried about the dark forces that desire to do just that." Legolas confided, turning back to Bard. "And thirteen dwarves will be no match." Bard grunted. Dale, with its new residents, was in the way of such forces.

"That begs the question…Are any or all of us…a match?" Bard asked, not expecting an answer.

* * *

><p>It was very early morning, the sun barely lighting up the night sky when Kili stirred. He was instantly drawn back to the present as his eyes opened. His head was in Tauriel's lap, his arm around her waist. She looked down at him with soft, jeweled eyes as he stretched and yawned. He settled down and reached up to touch her face. Tauriel smiled gently and held his hand against a silken cheek.<p>

Kili recalled it with a smile… it was like a dream. They had pledged themselves to each other last night, for better or for worse, until the end of his days. Theirs was a private, humble ceremony, but one that was poignant, and one made uniquely their own. They made their promises with vows in both of their native tongues, fed each other pieces of bread laced with honey, and drank from the same goblet with hands entwined. Throughout the spoken verse, Kili closed his eyes and heard Tauriel's voice in his ears, the sweet sound of her tone reaching his heart, her Sindarian words of love insinuating themselves deep in his soul. She called him _Hervenn_. And then he made his dwarrow oath to love and care for her until the rest of his days, to fight for his greatest treasure, until his last heartbeat. He called her _Yasith. _Kili thought he might have been scared, to make such an oath, to give her his life on the eve of this conflict, but that was not so…Never was he so sure of anything in his young, dwarf life.

They then made love, to consecrate their joining of hearts by the golden glow of the fire, and they melted into each other again and again, until their little chamber was dark. The only light that remained was the red embers in the hearth, the only sound to be heard was their breathy gasps, the only scent in his nose her natural fragrance, and on his tongue was the honeyed taste of her mouth and skin. He stroked her body gently, from head to toe, hardly believing that all that he now touched was his, the soft skin, the gentle curves, the supple lips and silken hair, all of it given to him willingly by this stunning elf, until he left middle earth. Several times he was choked up at the significance of it all; and tears would threaten to cloud his vision until her sweet mouth would distract him beautifully.

No, what happened last night was no dream…but it was morning now and the wonderful nights activities had to give way to whatever would be this day…possibly war. Kili sat up and leaned over, embracing Tauriel, burying his face in the curve where that languid neck gave way to her strong shoulders, brushing his lips along her smooth skin. That provoked a gasp from Tauriel, who held him closer.

"If I speak the truth, I don't want you to go." She whispered. Kili leaned back a little, stroking her hair, his dark eyes following hers, his face serious.

"I can stay, you know…"he said, with a soft, low voice.

"I will not let you break your promise to your brother." She said, with more sureness in her voice than her heart. "He will be on our side, for all the days to come, if you give him this day."

"I know what I must do…If I am to stay true to my word." Kili said. "If there is a battle to be fought, as a dwarf , I will fight this day with my people." He insisted. "But, my heart belongs to you, _Yasith_."

Tauriel's eyes fell away from his…because his words chilled her to the bone. The worry she felt about him leaving hit her hard, because it contrasted so greatly with the joys of the last few days, the highest high last night when they spoke promises of love, binding their two hearts together. She ached the most now, her heart dropping to a low in the morning when she had to let her Kili go, knowingly, into danger, and even though she would try to help him, there may be little she could do.

"Well then, you must go now, and return soon, _Hervenn_." She whispered.

Kili pulled up her chin and pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes closed, squeezed tight, as she tried to remember that moment, every sensation of her and Kili together, his arm around her, his lips on hers, the slight tickle of his beard, the warmth of their breath lingering together, and his sweet, musky scent. She wanted it nailed in her memory.

"I promise you this, Tauriel. After the dust has settled, I will come and find you. And we will make a go at this strange life we have begun together." Kili said, sincerely. Tauriel smiled and touched his face, then buried her hand in his thick, dark locks.

"I do believe that was our promise to each other last night. Today you fulfil our duty to protect your king and kin; and after that, we must fulfill our duty to each other." She smiled.

They rose up and they both dressed slowly, and she walked with him to the terrace that overlooked Erebor. After one, final long kiss, Kili headed north the direction of the gates of Erebor, at a quick pace, moving stealthily through the pass between the rocks in the side of the mountain as Tauriel watched after him, until her heart could no longer bear it. She ran up to the highest height of the outpost, and stared at Erebor.

* * *

><p>Tauriel eventually sat down on a stone bench, took out the labradorite stone and held it in her hand…it was smooth and cool and drew you to touch it and move it to make it shine brilliantly, to reveal its beautiful iridescence. Then she sat up straight…the unmistakably familiar sensation of someone nearing her making her suck in her breath…<p>

Tauriel sensed him before she could hear his barely perceptible, light footfalls on the steps behind her. By the time she looked around Legolas was there, standing tall, lit up by the sun. Her heart skipped a beat like it always did when she saw her elf prince in the morning light. It suited him. His eyes were stern, yet there was relief in them. Tauriel looked back at him, a soft, yet sad, glow in her eye.

"Legolas…" she said, with a small smile. Oh, so much had happened since they last spoke…so many important things...

"Tauriel." He replied, with sad reserve. Legolas looked around, seeing that they were on the highest escarpment; this one was close enough to see the entry to Erebor with ease.

Legolas strolled over and sat down, next to Tauriel. She looked towards Erebor, at the only thing that there was to see in the stark landscape. By time she looked back at Legolas, she knew his keen eyes were settled on the same thing. She sat still, looking his way as his cold, hard stare nearly bore a hole through the stone door of Erebor. He looked her way slowly, his eyes revealing a deep hurt and disappointment and confusion she had prayed she would never have to see in her prince's eyes, but knew she would have to one day. Today was that day. As much as she wanted to look away and hide her face, she did not. She would not shield herself from his emotions. She would answer his questions and try to be the best friend she could be.

"They have barricaded the door and destroyed the bridge." Legolas said, with annoyance. Tauriel looked over. The large kneeling dwarves on either side of the entrance were there, and the bridge was destroyed. She sighed.

"So they have." She replied, knitting her brows and tilting her head to one side, eyeing him thoughtfully.

"Is that not a waste of time? And not to mention, rude?" Legolas said. "Instead of working with us and the men of Dale, they continue to perpetrate acts of defiance." Tauriel guffawed. Legolas looked to her, irritated. She shook her head.

"Dwarves are known for their rudeness, or straightforwardness, some would call it." She said. Legolas glared at her for a moment.

"How could you ally with them…help them…care about them …" he said, and then he stopped short, dropping his head forward, breathing out with disappointment.

Tauriel turned away from him, and looked back across the fields that surrounded Dale, then up to the broken remnant of Dale's great hall, where she knew Thranduil now stayed. She was no longer welcome in Thranduil's presence. Seeing Legolas before lifted her heart just a little, but now she felt even more hurt. She steeled her expression and thought for a second about leaving, shifting in her seat. Legolas closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Don't go." Legolas whispered. Tauriel softened her expression and turned back to Legolas. "When were you going to talk to me about all of this?" he asked, the pain evident in his tone. Tauriel nearly wanted to weep. She never meant to hurt him…

"I'm sorry I disappointed you, my prince..." She said, her voice nearly cracking. Legolas looked at her from the corner of his eye. "I…felt I could never face you again." she whispered.

"I just don't understand." He started, shaking his head, turning to her.

"Don't understand what?" She asked.

"Any of this. How could you jeopardize everything you have worked for, for centuries?" He asked, trying to hold his anger at bay. "He is a dwarf, someone you have known for what? Days?" Tauriel shook her head.

"I just could not let him die, Legolas. I felt compelled to save his life, again and again." She said, wrapping her arms around herself. Legolas crossed his arms.

"You care about… that little…imp." He practically spat, pent up frustration oozing from him. She nodded. "Why?" Legolas said, looking at her in the eyes. Tauriel sat back and sucked in a breath.

"Do not ask for answers you may not want to hear." she whispered. He sat back as well, looking at her with a slightly softened, serious expression.

"I am just trying to understand you..." Legolas urged. She exhaled slowly.

Tauriel looked at Legolas with softness; the brilliant blue eyes, the perfectly sculpted high elf features; the long blonde hair that fell around those strong shoulders. The concerned expression… She would tell him, not everything, but some of it. Some details she thought would hurt Legolas too much, the way he was acting. She looked down.

"The fact is, Legolas..." she confessed, with a sigh. "I didn't even understand it myself." She shook her head a little.

"Enlighten me." Legolas urged, curious, but defensive.

"I don't know if I can." she whispered. Maybe this was more than she could handle.

"If we can't talk about this, what good is…all the years we have spent together…what we have between us?" He said, slowly, after a few seconds, in a very calm tone.

Tauriel looked into the sky, noting the sun in its glory. A memory of the view of the full moon from a forest terrace made her ache. Maybe it was worth a try to explain it…

"You noticed it first." She said, softly, and then her eyes turned to Legolas. "You noticed Kili staring at me."

"Many people stare at you, Tauriel. You are…striking." Legolas said, with such sincerity it made her draw breath. She tilted her head and blinked. Never did Legolas say things like that to her before.

"Not like he did." She replied, and then took a deep breath. This revelation was not going to be easy. "We have…strange, strong connection, one we realized, at first sight." She continued.

"A connection..." He said, pursing his lips, looking at her hard, brows knitting slightly.

"I did not know what to do about it. But I soon realized…he needed me." She said, softly, looking away. And she needed Kili, but that she left unspoken.

"So do I." Legolas said, a little abruptly. Tauriel turned to him with mild surprise and shook her head.

"You never really needed me, Legolas. You just got used to having me around." She said. Legolas grunted.

"Tauriel…I…never realized how much I did…until…" he started, looking at her sadly. "Until I thought you were gone." He said, staring at her.

"So…I had to nearly die before you realized that." She said, with a sad little smirk. He shook his head. A few quiet moments passed. Legolas stared at the ground, his eyes unfocused.

"Does he even appreciate all that you have done?" he questioned. "Does he know what it has cost you?"

"He did not ask for any of it, Legolas." She said. "It was my decision." Legolas shook his head.

"Was it worth it?" he asked. Tauriel looked directly into his eyes, lips pursed.

"Yes." She said softly. Legolas huffed.

"Does this dwarf actually care what happens to you?" Legolas asked. She looked at him, a little smirk on her face.

"I know he truly …cares for me." Tauriel said, holding back a bit. She knew what Kili felt for her was far stronger, but she could not bring herself to tell Legolas that.

"How do you know?" He asked, in disbelief. How could this dwarf really know, really care about Tauriel?

"Kili did not hesitate, not once, to tell me how he felt." Tauriel revealed, knowing the young dwarf had opened his soul to her in the few days she knew him. "Or show me." She leaned back, looking away from Legolas. Legolas knit his brows, and looked at Tauriel.

"He had nothing to lose." Legolas muttered. "He would say anything…" She looked at him with a disappointed expression.

"Why is it a dwarf I have known only for days was able to open up to me more than the elf I have known for centuries?" She asked. Legolas stared at her. There was no answer he could give. Tauriel shook her head, looking at Legolas sadly. Tauriel went to place the little stone securely back in her tunic.

"What is that?" he asked, softly. Tauriel froze for a moment, a dread taking hold in her chest. She then opened her hand slowly and showed him the stone in her palm, the dwarrow markings easily visible. Legolas knit his brows.

"It is a rune stone." She said, quietly. "It is … a promise." His eyes lifted up to hers.

"What does it say?" he asked, a little slowly, as if not wanting, but needing to hear. Tauriel swallowed hard.

"It says 'Return to Me' in Khuzdul." She revealed, shakily.

Legolas blinked quickly, as the significance of the stone and its message sank in deep. It took him a few moments to address her again.

"You can not stay away from him, can you?" Legolas said, his voice still.

"No." Tauriel said softly, yet firmly, with no hint of apology, her eyes looking intently into his. Legolas sighed and pursed his lips, lowering his eyes.

"Nothing good can ever come of this…association." Legolas said, as he stood up slowly, crossed his arms and strolled to the opposite side of the terrace, which was not very far.

A regretful ache lodged itself in his chest. The image of Kili, asking him to take care of Tauriel came to mind. Tauriel was willing to risk everything for this dwarf. He recalled how Kili screamed and tried to return to her at the banks of the river, and would have had the other dwarf not stopped him physically. He knew the dwarf cared deeply for her…Legolas just did not want to admit to himself what he was witnessing. He looked back at Erebor, then at Tauriel.

The endless life of an elf gave him the false security of having time enough for anything. Legolas could not help but to feel that he had lost something special with Tauriel, to a dwarf, nonetheless. Legolas breathed deeply, pulling himself out of his regret. He had other, more ominous issues he had to deal with, and he wanted, no needed, Tauriel by his side.

"There are other battles brewing Tauriel…not only the squabbles at the gate of Erebor, but…a great darkness draws closer, from the south. It now threatens us all." Tauriel sat up, anxiety rising within her.

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

Legolas paced about, taking a few minutes to relate his excursion to the south, his meeting with Gandalf, and the warnings about the ork General supposedly on his way to Erebor to kill the King Under the Mountain, and whoever he was with. Tauriel blinked her eyes in disbelief and concern.

"Come with me, Tauriel, back to Dale. To stay here is to invite death if you remain alone. " He turned to her, his intense blue eyes staring at her. "I know you will not fight the dwarves. But if what Gandalf says is true, the dwarves and the people of Dale will need our help to fight orks."

"Your father would not want me there..."Tauriel said, shaking her head.

"I don't care what he thinks of you." Legolas blurted out, frustrated. "I know where my heart lies. Don't you understand that?" Legolas questioned. Tauriel murmured despondently, looking away. "Look, Tauriel. I don't like what you have done in the past few days, but I do know this." Legolas said, looking directly at Tauriel's almond shaped eyes. "This fact remains. If the darkness is to come, I know in my heart, you are the warrior I want to have by my side." Legolas said softly.

He stared out over to the northwest, opposite the white tent that made up his father's encampment. Tauriel had looked away, into the distance. He walked over to the side of the lookout, and stared intently. As he looked out around at the landscape, and something caught his eye. There, a few grotesque, pale skinned creatures clad in back harnesses were crawling up the northern side, headed to where they were on the mountain, still quite a ways away…He dropped down and called out to Tauriel with a whisper.

"Tauriel…down!" he said. She dropped low and came up next to him.

"What did you see?" She asked, anxiety in her voice. He looked through a hole in the wall, and pointed the direction of his find. Eventually, her eyes also honed in on the creatures, looking like tiny specs in the distance. "Yes…I see them…what are they?" she whispered urgently.

"I don't know…it looks like a scouting party….but I think it more than coincidence they are coming here now." He whispered, looking back at Tauriel, who's eyes were widening.

"I thought you said the threat Gandalf spoke of was coming from the south…" she said.

"Yes, I did." Legolas said, as he turned to her. "Something is wrong."

"What is it?" She said, glancing northward.

"I have been sensing something dark, from the north, from just beyond those mountains. I can feel it." He said, staring at her. "From Gundabad."

Tauriel looked up at him, his strong shoulders squared, even as he stooped low, his silver blonde hair wafting in the breeze. She knew of Gundabad; it was a place that Legolas and his father never spoke of without a darkness drifting over their faces.

"Do you have any of your weapons here?" Legolas asked urgently.

"Yes…yes I do." she said.

"Together we can easily take this group, but there may be more of the enemy that threatens us all. We must to go on, to those mountains, to find out what lies beyond." He said. Tauriel looked at him with concern. "Tauriel, I need your help…come with me. We need to find out what is coming …to protect everyone we care about in this valley. " He said.

Tauriel took in a breath and nodded, facing Legolas. She could not believe, for the first time in their eons together, he actually had asked for her help. She would comply, and join her partner in arms, this last time…

"Let's go." She said, fire in her eyes.

* * *

><p><strong><em>In case you need it: Yanith=wife in khuzdul. Hervenn=husband in sindarin.<em>**


	35. Chapter 35

**Author's Note**

**Had some stuff in real life I had to take care of but I amback now...**

**I take some of my words from Jackson, from Tolkien, because they were so beautifully executed. But most of these are my own about how I would want it to transpire. It is just that the story is becoming very emotional for me.**

**Thank you to my reviewers...Tuonra, Margaritasc, Jampaqd, Bigficfan, Karamelkat, Haku's lover18, Kasmira, mfaerie32, Forestdweller89, amber85.**

**Here we go...**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Kili was decidedly still in shock from the events of the night as he rushed along the path back to Erebor, the memory of his elf's kiss lingering lightly on his lips. The trip back to Erebor took on a strange, somewhat surreal tone for him. Had he really just pledged his life to her? Was his wife, a dwarf's most precious treasure, indeed a beautiful warrior elf? So much had happened in so short a time, less than a week had passed, and his world had changed forever.<p>

But…What was he thinking? How was he, a dwarf, going to make a relationship with an elf work? Would Tauriel eventually grow weary of him, when they lived together day in, day out for the years to come? Would the burning flame of their love, one that flashed bright with all the majesty of something new and exciting and gripping, die down to weak embers in the mundanity of life? Would she just stay with him not for love, but because of a promise made in the dark, on the top of a hill under the impending pressure of war? If he somehow made it out of Erebor after today, would he just become a burden to the elf he loved in the years to come? Could Tauriel really love him until the end of his days? An aching dismay hit him hard.

Would he have to leave everything he knew, his family, his home, his history? Kili gasped…How was he going to tell Fili that he could no longer remain in his stead? At least, until the dwarves would accept Tauriel... Kili shook his head and guffawed. Who was he kidding? They would never accept an elf in their midst. As if she would want to be with a bunch of loud, smelly, rude dwarves anyway… There was no turning back now; his life in the company of all male dwarves was soon to be over. Kili let these thoughts eat away at him so much he faltered and fell on the shifting rocks, and he struck his head hard against a rock. It did not hurt as much as cleared his mind.

_Tauriel said she loves you. You KNOW she loves you…and you love her. Things will work out… _

Kili shook his head and pushed the thoughts of anxiety and doubt away. All he could do was to try his best to make a fresh start with Tauriel, come what may. The chance to build a new life was exciting, but he knew it would be challenging. But that would be after fighting whatever battles lay before him this day. And Kili was sure all he worried about would cease to matter once he was with wrapped in his elf's arms once again.

It was still early morning, but much later than he would have liked, so he hurried along. He gazed up at the gate above the stone door of Erebor…where was the rope? Kili sucked in a breath and groaned. He quickly scampered over several large stones, the remains of a destroyed statue; the one they felled to destroy the bridge before Erebor. He hid on the other side by the lee of a stone, out of view of the watchmen of Dale, way beyond the plain.

"Pssst! Fili! Fili!" Kili whispered loudly. He looked up hopefully to the terrace. A second or two later, the rope was thrown over, the tip landing near his feet.

He quickly scampered up the rope, with as little noise as possible. Up near the top, a figure leaned over, so Kili put up his arm. The dwarf grabbed his outstretched arm, tightly gripping it. Kili looked up; he nearly lost his grip on the life bearing rope.

It was Thorin.

A deep fear paralyzed Kili. Wordlessly, Thorin heaved his nephew up over the stone railing of the gate as if he was still just a mere babe and held his arm tight as Kili slowly found his footing. Kili glanced around briefly; his brother was there against the wall, arms crossed, looking at Kili and Thorin with silent consternation. The grip around his arm tightened and Thorin shook his arm once to gather his attention. Kili steeled his jaw and raised his eyes slowly to face his king.

It was difficult to look into the icy, cold glare of his uncle; the light blue eyes that used to remind Kili of cold winter sky were now bloodshot, looking like the hottest flame bursting from the forges. He was in full armor, with the angulated crown thrust upon his head, which made him look even more stern. Kili took a few deep breaths and balled his fists, looking back at his uncle with assertion.

"Where have you been?" His uncle said slowly, an accent on each word, voice low and growling. Kili pursed his lips and stood up straight, looking his uncle hard in the eye.

"Raven Hill." Kili said. Thorin's brows narrowed and he glanced momentarily up towards the outpost ruin, looking back at his nephew with suspicion.

"Why?" He asked, wide eyed, allegation dripping in his tone.

"No reason that you need worry about." Kili said, about as nonchalantly as his nerves would let him be at the moment.

"Everything my kin, my dwarves do …worries me." Thorin insisted. "Especially now." Kili felt anger well up; he did not like the tone his uncle was taking with him.

"Do you think I would ever do anything to jeopardize anyone here, in Erebor?" Kili said, shaking his head incredulously.

Behind Thorin, Fili took a few steps closer, circling the two dwarves slowly. He did not like the timbre of this confrontation.

"By Mahal, I hope not. But I find you crawling over this wall like a robber spy this morning." Thorin's low voice spat.

"Uncle!" Fili said, stepping closer with a tone of caution. "He is here with us now, is he not?"

Thorin looked back at Fili, the other collaborator.

"Then I will give him a chance to explain himself." Thorin said, madness and anger consuming his expression. "What were you doing there?" An imposing silence developed as the very air grew thicker.

"I was withTauriel." Kili admitted finally, voice low. Thorin's expression turned to deep confusion, and his hold on his nephew weakened. Kili pulled away roughly and took a step back.

"Who?" Thorin said, confusion overtaking his outrage. Kili took in a deep breath and pursed his lips.

"Tauriel, the captain of the Silvan guard, she who captured us in Mirkwood.…" Kili started. Thorin stood dumbfounded, blinking, eyes pinned on his nephew, head shaking in disbelief. Within seconds, Thorin recalled vaguely who Kili spoke of…the red haired she-elf who was as deadly as she was fierce. Then Thorin remembered Fili's story of what happened at Bard's house.

"The elf who healed your leg?" Thorin said, shaking his head. Kili nodded. "She is a soldier … of our enemy." He said, incredulous, his anger melting to disbelief. Kili looked back at him.

"Not anymore. She is no longer a captain in Thranduil's army." Kili said, crossing his arms. "She saved my life, several times, in the last few days." He recounted, looking away from his uncle. He looked up at the Ravenhill ruins. "She has been exiled from her people for those actions, and now stays in those ruins as a sentinel." Kili said, solemnly, finally looking back at Thorin. "I am forever in her debt." Kili said softly.

Thorin looked away from Kili, and took a few steps away from him. This was all so confusing…why did an elf help his nephew, to the point that she would be punished for it? And even more so an issue…

"Why did you go to see her now?" Thorin asked, in a low voice as he shook his head, befuddled. Kili did not answer immediately. A few moments of silence enveloped them, as Thorin struggled to interpret what his nephew said…and was not saying. He glanced at Fili, who looked away, and held his breath.

"Because… she wanted to see me." Kili said, slowly. Then Kili looked up at Thorin with an expression that was as much confession as it was certainty. "And I wanted to see her." He added, in a low voice. Thorin looked back at Kili incredulously. Then, when realization flowed over him, his eyes opened wide and his mouth dropped open…He knew his nephew's tendencies when it came to women…his eyes nearly rolled back into his head.

"Oh, Kili…" Thorin moaned, in a disappointed, disapproving tone as he covered his eyes with his hands. Thorin huffed and dropped his shoulders, and rubbed at his forehead. This could not be happening…Kili…the nephew of a dwarf king…sneaking off in the night to be with…an elf? Thorin looked back at Kili, who was staring at him. He seemed so determined, as always. "By all that is sweet and good in Arda…" he started. "Have you lost your mind, boy?" He said, starting to pace back and forth. Then he stopped short and looked over at Kili quickly. "Tell me you have not told her anything about the army from the Iron Hills…." He said.

Kili's face momentarily paled, and his eyes widened briefly, just enough so that Thorin saw it. Thorin growled and started to rant, muttering curses under his breath in Khuzdul.

"Anything I told her was only to keep her safe." Kili urged. Thorin shot him a look of angered disapproval. Thorin launched himself at Kili, grabbing the collar of his cloak. Fili jumped in between them.

"You fool!" Thorin spat. "She cannot be trusted, even if she did spare your life!" He said. "She is an elf!"

"She will never do anything to hurt us!" Kili spat back, Fili struggling between them.

"Hold on… both of you!" Fili growled, glaring at them both, shoving each of them hard, apart. "This is not the time for fighting between kin!" he said, as he turned to Kili. "This is the time we must stick together." Fili said pointedly to his brother. He pushed Thorin back, away from Kili and spoke to him insistently in a low voice. "Uncle… I have talked with her myself. This she-elf would not do anything that would put Kili in danger… I know it."

Thorin looked at Fili, wide eyed, flabbergasted. He walked around for a moment or two, staring deep into the open expanse of Erebor. This…this was unnatural, this alliance between dwarf and elf. Or was it more? Thorin shuddered with the thought. But there were more pressing things that he, his heirs, all of them, needed be concerned with. With no more distraction. Thorin turned slowly to Kili.

"You must never see her again." Thorin ordered. "Do you hear me?" Kili grit his teeth and pursed his lips.

"Thorin… " Kili started, eyes blinking rapidly beneath angry brows. Thorin strode up to him.

"Kili…I will hear no more on this. You must do as I say. Do you understand?" Thorin said commandingly, darkly to his youngest nephew, his fist balled in the neck of his nephew's coat. His eyes were set and intent upon Kili's scowl. Kili's brows were knit with his discontent, his nostrils flaring with rage as he breathed heavily, his eyes hard and angry.

Then, stillness and a resolve came over Kili with an epiphany. Kili realized in that second he was now a dwarf with his own mind and right. With those vows he spoke last night he had become beholden to no one else but himself, and the wondrous creature he had just taken as his wife. It was his life, and his way that he must go, be it into the hollows of Erebor or far away beyond hill and vale with his sweet. And his life was as much hers now, if he was to be true to his vows. His promise to Fili was to fight this day, this fight. Beyond that, there was no one or no thing that could stop him from being with Tauriel, not even the commands of his powerful uncle. Kili swore to himself at that moment, he would keep all his promises. All of them.

"I am a dwarf of Erebor, Thorin. A son of Durin. And I stand with my brethren today, in defense of our homeland. That, I swear." Kili said, with cool finality, pulling away from Thorin's grasp, as he walked to stand by his brother's side.

It was that brotherly bond that kept the strong-willed, dark haired young dwarf in their midst this day; that Thorin felt with little doubt. Thorin glared angrily towards his wayward nephew, the one he loved so much, who bore his likeness, his coloring, his height the most of his two heirs, but the one who worried him the most since he was a babe. All Kili knew of boundaries was that they were to be overcome or destroyed, warnings were dares, and rules were challenges. His family around Kili all struggled to contain his energy, but it was his mother that knew best how to harness it, redirect it, in the most surprising of ways… Oh, but what would Dis think of this?

Thorin did admire Kili's fearlessness, constant positivity and dynamism in the face of all that had inflicted them in their lives and in this journey. But his passion, openness and recklessness had put him in this position. This…contrivance, this dalliance with an elf maid…this Thorin could not condone, even if she did save his life. It was an affront to all that was dwarrow, and an insult to his family. Could his foolish young nephew not see that?

Fili glanced over at his brother, and their eyes met. The fire in Kili's eyes was still alight even as his face seemed calm and resigned to the orders barked at him by the uncle he opposed, yet now seemingly obeyed. Fili realized quickly this was a temporary acquiescence from his brother to their King…Kili would listen to his uncle's direction only so far, and only for so long. Fili pursed his lips and struggled to not let sadness overcome him. Fili sighed as Kili placed a strong hand heavy on his shoulder.

"I will stay near, my brother." Kili said, with a small, slight smile. Fili's eyes closed with the conditionals that were unspoken echoing through his mind… _For now. _ Fili opened his eyes to glance towards his uncle, now a dark silhouette against the rainbowed hues of the morning sky, a brooding, shadowed figure, flanked by the angular, crumbling walls of the terrace they now stood upon.

Fili was distracted by something he saw in the distance. He took a few steps forward.

"Uncle…" Fili said, urgently, behind Thorin. "Look!" He pointed away, far in the distance towards Dale. All three sons of Durin glanced over the flat lands, each with a variable amount of wonder, and worry.

The glare of the sun off the magnificent armor and shields of the elves was astonishing, even in a morning such as this, just beyond sunup. The dwarves looked on as line upon line of elven soldiers took their place in the flatlands just beyond the bridges of Dale; a neat, regimented sea of guilded shoulders, Surrounded and flanked by others on horse. And there were what seemed to be a blanket of them forming slowly, around the bend of the river that flowed from the depths of Erebor. Thorin grunted, with reserved aggression.

Kili shook his head at the vision of an army amassing in the distance that would be upon them later this day; but something else caught his eye…something missing. The fire on the south side of Raven Hill was extinguished. He gasped and blinked.

_Tauriel! _ He thought briefly, as concern for his elf filled him, beyond the concern for his own hide.

"Go now, boys… awaken the company. Today is the day we defend our homeland." Thorin commanded.

Both Fili and Kili complied in haste, with a slight nod to their senior. Thorin pursed his lips and looked at his youngest heir as he ran ahead of Fili; he felt in his heart he there was no need for him to worry about Kili's loyalty at this juncture. He would always be a dwarf, no matter his distractions. In times of war, all dwarves come together, like blocks of granite hewn from the rock of the mountain; strong, unfaltering, side by side to form a wall of stubborn resistance.

"And so it begins." Thorin said, turning around from his gaze into the depths of Erebor, to glare at the oncoming maelstrom.

Bard went on ahead of the elf and Dale warriors, next to Thranduil, riding over the plains before Erebor. He glanced over at the great Elf king. Thranduil, who was commanding and self-assured on the great elk, was dressed with a gunmetal grey amour that was exquisite as it was supple and form fitting. By his side were two long swords, the scabbards exquisite and etched, hewn of the finest materials, the hilts the grey teeth of a dragon. Even dressed for battle the great king had not a hair out of place beneath a slender crown, and no change in expression save his signature harsh glare. If someone would have told Bard a week ago that he would be riding into a confrontation against dwarves with an elven army behind him this day, he would have thought them mad. But this meeting was going to be unpleasant for them all. He wanted it over long before they might just have to deal with the throngs of orks that they had been told were coming. Then Bard turned his gaze forward.

Another thing bothered him as they set out across the hilly land. Where was Legolas? He had left to retrieve Tauriel hours before; plenty of time to go there and back. And why was the fire on Raven Hill put out, the smoke from squelched embers rising in the morning sun as if a signal itself? There was no time to investigate this new development, for he could not even corral the help of his powerful ally; Thranduil would be none too pleased to hear where his son went this morning, and for whom, he surmised. Bard shook his head and pursed his lips. There was nothing more he could do at the moment than the unenviable task that lay before him; things had fallen into place and events were occurring, having taken on their own life. Not events Bard wanted, indeed. He looked back towards the men of Dale that walked besides the regimented elves. The wizard strode quietly among them, hidden from sight.

As they approached the gates of Erebor, the distinct figures of gruff dwarves on top the terrace were easily visible. They were all clad in exquisite armor, each set more astounding than the next. Only Bard and Thranduil advanced the last 100 or so paces to the brink of the bridge. They were greeted with arrow after arrow, sent from the terrace, growing closer and closer to their horses' hooves. Bard stopped and looked over at the Elf King. A look of intense, smug hatred sprung from his grey eyes… As another arrow fell too close for comfort, the elf king raised his hand nonchalantly.

Behind him, row upon row of elf soldiers readied their bows and aimed it up to the terrace above the gate of Erebor. All the dwarves, save Thorin, recoiled and hid. Thorin stood his ground, growling.

Bard threw down his weapon. The elf king looked over sheepishly, but did not comply. Bard groaned and approached closer, looking up into the shining armor above him. Thorin seemed even more angered and feverish than before.

"Hail, Thorin…" Bard began.

"Hail?! With a volley of arrows do you hail?" Thorin said, wide eyed and incredulous. Bard looked behind him to Thranduil, glaring. With a slight huff, Thranduil waved his hand and all the elves behind him stood down, arrows back in their places, bows alongside. Thranduil cleared his throat patronizingly and nodded at Bard.

Bard winced. The proud dwarves would not look kindly upon that display. He turned back around.

"Hail, Thorin, King Under the Mountain." He began again. "Are you still of the same mind as when we spoke before?" he asked.

"My mind does not change with the rising and setting of a few suns, Bowman." Thorin said. "Yet things have changed with you. Now the elf host draws near, bearing arms, rather than away as I bade. Why do you come here in vain to bargain once more?" Thorin shook his head. "This siege does not bear the signs of one who 'requests' help."

"We have come by something that will capture your interest, methinks, and would use that to beseech your grace once more." Bard said.

"There is nothing you or your friends…" Thorin growled, glaring at Thranduil, "have that I would want." He said.

"Oh?" Bard said, his patience finally exhausted. "What about this?" he said, pulling the Arkenstone from his vest, and holding it above his head, so that all on the terrace could see the sparkling, large stone, glowing even in the brightness of day. They all gasped. Kili, who was standing beside his uncle, looked over the stone ledge. His mouth dropped open and he turned to Thorin, eyes wide.

"Is that…what I think it is?" He asked. Thorin looked at his nephew, shocked, incredulous.

"No…it can't be…" Thorin sputtered.

"What trickery is this?" Dwalin roared, launching forward. "It is a fake! That is not real!"

"Oh, I assure you this is real." Bard said, looking upon the stone with curiosity as he lowered it. "The Arkenstone of Thrain…I believe it is called."

"The heart of the mountain." Balin whispered. He looked over at Thorin, who looked back at him. "You and I both know there is no stone that shines like that but the stone of the King."

"They stole it!" Kili said, shaking his head, angered to see the dwarf treasure in other hands.

"What is this thievery? That stone was my grandfathers and rightfully mine!" Thorin yelled.

"No, I assure you, we came by this through… honest means." Bard said. "It was given to us to aid in this negotiation." He continued, knowing full well the negotiation was not going well.

"You lie!" Thorin spat, enraged. "How came you by our most sacred treasure?"

Before Bard had a chance to answer, Bilbo stepped back and shakily answered.

"I …I gave it to them." He said, as all the dwarves turned to him, in shock.

Thorin heard Bilbo's voice and his heart broke within him. He turned to the hobbit, slowly, the look on that who he called friend verifying his deceit. "That is indeed, the Arkenstone." Thorin shook his head slowly.

"No…no….it can't be. Not you…" Thorin said softly, eyes growing full with despair. Bilbo's betrayal hit him hard. He took a few labored steps towards the hobbit. Bilbo's eyes widened and he choked back a sob of his own, holding his ground steady.

"Yes, I did it. To end this ridiculous standoff… to avoid a needless war, Thorin…" he said, his voice cracking.

"What right have you to treat me thus…how dare you…" Thorin said, anger and disappointment mixing with a powerful rage not yet unfurled. Bilbo balled up his fists.

"You have changed Thorin! The dwarf I set out with nearly a year hence would never have denied help to those in need …would never have doubted the loyalty of his own kin…" Bilbo said, between gasps, backing up in fear. Thorin now resembled a bear, his eyes rimmed with red, his lip trembling.

"That stone was not yours to give!" Thorin screamed.

"I…I took it as my share of the treasure, Thorin. And I gave it away…For you all!" Bilbo said, motioning to all the dwarves around him. "Not an ounce of this gold is worth even a single drop of anyone's blood here…."

"This gold is worth all the blood of every dwarf here…and more!" Thorin screamed, launching himself at Bilbo, grabbing him around the collar. "You ally yourself with mine enemies yet you linger like a friend in our fold." He said, shaking Bilbo in his rage. "Now…begone with you!" he growled, hefting up the hobbit and walking towards the edge of the terrace, fully intending to hurl Bilbo from the precipice to his death. Bilbo could barely scream out.

"No!" Screamed the dwarves around him. Fili and Kili grabbed Thorin as the other dwarves tried to wrestle Bilbo from his grasp.

"Put down my burglar!" A loud booming voice ushered in. Thorin stared as Gandalf walked between rows of elf soldiers to stand before them. "I want not a single hair upon his head damaged!" He said, shaking his staff at Thorin. The dwarves were finally able to pull Bilbo from him…

"Thorin…I did it for you…" Bilbo said, his heartbreak and fear stark upon his face. Thorin lunged at him again, but Fili and Kili held on strong.

"I curse you, I curse that wretched wizard who made me drag you along on this journey…I curse any day I ever called you friend!" Thorin screamed, spittle flying from lips curled with anger.

Bofur and Oin ushered Bilbo away from the enraged King, who struggled against the now four dwarves holding him back. Bofur found the rope and threw it over the edge of the precipice. Bilbo, bewildered, paralyzed to where he stood, looked back at the furious face of the dwarf he once held in such high regard.

"You are not making a very splendid figure as King Under the Mountain." Gandalf said, annoyed, as he watched the mighty dwarf lose so much ability to control his anger. What a sad sight the son of Thrain now was. Thorin froze and looked over the terrace, as all the dwarves around him let him go slowly. Thorin advanced to the edge.

"I stand here betrayed by those I trusted most." Thorin spoke, with a shaky voice. "No more will I have dealings with the likes of you!"

"You best go…and quickly!" Bofur urged Bilbo. With a sad sob, and the shake of his head, he skinned down the rope and crawled quickly over the stones of the broken bridge. He ran to stand alongside Gandalf, who looked down at him sadly.

"By all the gods, you were right…" Bilbo despaired. Gandalf pursed his lips and patted his hobbit on the head.

Bard waited for the murmurs in the men and dwarves to die down before he cleared his throat loudly. There were the subtle details of a negotiation to be worked out, betrayals and broken feelings aside. A very distraught and angered Thorin turned around and looked at him.

"So…now that that is done, do we have a deal, my lord?" He said, holding out the Arkenstone. "A portion of the gold in Erebor…for the jewel of your grandfather, the treasure you hold most dear. " He said, looking intently at the dwarf king.

"You are all in league. " Thorin muttered. Thorin huffed and glared at them all. Bard shook his head, his nerves and patience wearing thin as a thread.

None on the ground noticed, but a raven flew in close to Thorin, and his expression changed.

"What say you, Thorin, son of Thrain." Bard said commandingly. "Will you have peace… or war?" Bard beseeched.

The seconds were long…

"I will have… war!" Thorin barked out, for all to hear. Kili and Fili looked at Thorin, unbelieving.

Then their attention, and everyone else's for that matter, was drawn to something else other than the tense standoff at the doors of Erebor. The sound of dwarvish horns bellowed from the eastern spur of the mountains. The dwarves above the doors of Erebor broke out in cries of glee.

Over the hill, much to the shock of all below, marched row after row of heavily armored dwarves, some riding great big rams, some riding enormous, iron clad boars. They wore hauberks of steel and bore mattocks and, swords and shields. All were fierce, huge, and ready for battle. And there in the front was a large, red haired dwarf covered in the finest dwarven armor, the meanest looking of the bunch, hide tough and face scarred, riding the largest animal of its kind that any of them had ever seen.

Dain,and his army of grim dwarves in shining mail, had arrived...


	36. Chapter 36

**Author's note:**

**Thank you for your patience my lovelies. thanks for the reviews: Haku's Lover, Jampaqd, Mfaerie32, Tuonora, Celebreswith, kasmira36, amber85, margaritasc.**

** Here we go. Tissue alert. **

**AW**

* * *

><p>Thranduil glared at the newly arriving, squat, fierce dwarf warriors with renewed fire. These dwarves from the east meant trouble. Every one of them was a fully outfitted a warrior, and their leader, who was a tall, red bearded, horn adorned wide hulk of a dwarf, looked even more stubborn than Thorin. Thranduil surmised he could stand to lose many of his elves in this fight. What before was smoke and mirrors, a flexing of elvish muscle to show the belligerent King under the Mountain that he stood no chance of winning this confrontation had now become a very real, very delicate, very dangerous situation. The elf king turned to Bard, who was sitting astride his horse besides him, flabbergasted. Bard looked back at him.<p>

"Come." He bade, in a low voice, as he turned his elk and rode swiftly to the eastern flank of his forces. The elf army reconfigured and turned in Thranduil's wake, an efficient wave like blanket of motion following their leader's flowing cape. Thanduil slowed and turned, standing solidly to face the forces that had arrived.

Dain rode the large boar on ahead of his forces, down the hill, but finally came to a noisy, metal clanking, full stop upon an outcropping. The entire dwarf army halted and settled down in neat rows behind him, weapons still brandished. Slowly, just Bard and Thranduil rode on ahead to speak with Dain.

"Well now…" the large, somewhat cocky dwarf bellowed, in a loud, gruff voice. "It is this fine break of day I come to visit my kin." He said, as he looked towards Erebor. "But look what I have found in me way." He added pompously. "Foes, knocking on my cousin's door."

"Foes we do not intend to make of him or you." Bard said. "But we have unfinished business with Thorin Oakenshield and his company."

"This has nothing to do with you or the dwarfs of the Iron Hills." Thranduil spat, glaring at Dain. Dain laughed loudly.

"Whatever business you have with my kin" he shouted, his face becoming seriously menacing "…is business with me." Dain growled, baring his teeth. The air was thick with discord and confrontation. Thranduil's glare at the large dwarf darkened.

"Dain, son of Nain…Lord of the Iron Hills!" A low pitched, gravelly voice suddenly interrupted. The Maiar strode forward from in between the solid rows of elves and men to the hallowed space in between the sparring leaders. Dain looked down at the approaching wizard with a feigned smile and sighed loudly.

"Gandalf…" Dain said, patronizingly. "The Grey Wizard…I should have known you would not be far away from such disagreement in these lands." He continued. "Keeping company with tree sprites, are we now?"

Thranduil, who had been perfectly still, shifted in his seat upon the elk with a grin, his face a painted mask of distain. Gandalf looked back at the elf king, then back at Dain.

"There is no need for this confrontation, my Lord Dain." Gandalf said, placing his hand on his chest. "Such matters can be settled with discussion among civil folk." Gandalf insisted.

"There were agreements in honor bound, and settlements to be paid." Bard said loudly. "All we all want is what we are owed." He said. Dain sat up on his ride and leaned one way, as he glanced towards Erebor.

"Hmmm." He said, rubbing his beard. "You did not come to the door of Erebor with an army such as this for a civil visit. I do believe there is some disagreement with your agreement. The dwarves there in Erebor obviously say… Nay to your bequest." Dain barked. "So…you best be on your way…or else a fight will you will have." He warned.

"We will go only after we have been given that which is ours." Thranduil said loudly, approaching Dain slowly. Teeth bared and eyes sharpened…

Gandalf looked away briefly, staring to the south, where a barely discernable haze was rising over the southern rim of the mountain. He turned back around to see the leaders squabbling, the elf and man army brandishing weapons, and the dwarves raising their mattocks. Gandalf had had enough. He raised his staff and smashed it upon the rocky ground. Lightning sprung forth, and a wave of force set out from him that pushed all those surrounding him, unsettling the leaders on their mounts, knocking over some of the nearby soldiers. They all turned to him, awestruck.

"Halt! Halt I say!" He shouted, in a powerful, voice as if spoken by a person several times his stature, one that shook deep in the chest of everyone around. "Dread has come upon us all!" He said as he pointed the staff to the southernmost rim, where a sea of black ork soldiers, marching row by row over the hill, were readily seen. They carried staffs and banners and were rolling heavy weapons; rapidly spilling over into the valley. Wide eyed, Gandalf marched back towards the three leaders. "Now, my good peoples of Middle Earth…You must put aside your petty differences. The forces of evil are upon you!" Gandalf shouted, eyes blazing, face in fearsome concern. "You have but one question to answer." He entreated. "How shall this day end?"

Even as Gandalf spoke, the black forces amassing in the distance grew more numerous, like bulky ants spreading over the hills and knolls. Bard, Thranduil and Dain, as well as the contingent on the terrace of Erebor all looked on in awe as the deadly black sea of beasts approached. The three leaders on the plain encircled each other.

"We must all stand together against a common enemy to have even a chance." Bard said, looking between Dain and Thranduil, who glanced at each other. They both nodded sharply in the affirmative.

"May the gods protect us all." Gandalf said, who had come into their midst, witnessing the accord.

What happened next occurred as quick as lightning; the leaders held council briefly, even as the wide ocean of the ork army took shape before them. The Elven army split to a flanking position, stationing its forces on either side of the dwarf contingent, who now rolled weapons in and amassed centrally before Erebor, the horde of men aligned alongside the elves on the western side, closer to Dale.

Gandalf wound his way through the soldiers and found Bilbo, fully intending to run with the Hobbit towards the supposed safety of Dale. But he black plague insinuated itself into the valley, a visible arm spreading between them and Dale, a large contingent climbing the southern face of Raven Hill. Gandalf gasped when he saw the leader, marching up to the top of Raven Hill upon a white warg. It was Azog, the Pale Ork.

"Gandalf, is this really a good place to stand?" Bilbo said, after nearly falling after banging into Gandalf as the wizard came to a sudden full stop. He peeked around Gandalf, and looked where he was glancing. Bilbo too gasped at the black sea.

"My dear Bilbo…there is no good place to stand." Gandalf said, mortified.

"These are dark days…" Bilbo worried, as his eyes flowed over the landscape, and nothing he saw was good. Bilbo looked back towards Erebor, with deep dread and sadness… "When faced with death, what can anyone do?" He lamented. A solid hand on his shoulder shook him from his despair.

Gandalf stepped away him, staff in one hand, and sword in the other.

"We fight, Bilbo. We fight." He said. Bilbo nodded and looked down at his short sword, Sting, now glowing in the presence of such creatures. Bilbo blinked at the glowing blade, and stood tall, a confidence bubbling up within him, the Took within him refusing to give up without a fight. He held the sword aloft, strong, clenching his jaw.

"We fight." Bilbo growled.

All heads turned when a loud horn sounded from the top of Raven Hill.

* * *

><p>The hooves of the horse were barely touching the ground as the two elves rode hard back towards the direction of the Lonely Mountain and Dale. Tauriel was astride the horse behind Legolas, holding him securely around his muscular body as he expertly maneuvered the horse around the boulder strewn, hilly landscape. They had covered much ground but there was still much space between them and their destination.<p>

"What were those things, flying like a swarm?" Tauriel shouted. The air was rushing fast past them, so that she had to yell to be heard.

"Those were bats; from the same forsaken caldron as the orcs…and like them, they were made for one thing…" Legolas growled. "War."

"There are so many of them…" Tauriel gasped.

"And more come from the south." Legolas added, his jaw clenching.

"How long do you think it will be before they get there?" Tauriel shouted as loud as she could. Legolas pushed the horse to run a bit faster, yet turned his head to speak again.

"I hope long enough for us to warn everyone before this army arrives." Legolas shouted back.

"By all the gods…" Tauriel pursed her lips and let her body mold against his, leaning her frame into him so as to make it easier for them to ride even faster.

The small group of scouts that they had seen from the outpost at Ravenhill had been easy to best. Then Legolas had captured and questioned one. It spoke of an endless sea of dark beasts that were to follow him, before he died, laughing at them madly. Legolas was able to track them, follow their trail from whence they came. It was at the top of a mountain, an overlook where they finally saw the legions of black clad creatures, bearing tall staffs marching towards them, still way off in the distance, but definitely heading their direction. The elves took note of the grave situation and doubled back with speed.

Tauriel shut her eyes tightly as the worry filled her chest, as they rode on. Was the fact that the elves and men were going up against a dwarf contingent too proud, too stubborn to quit when they were grossly outnumbered not enough? Why must there also be now two armies of orks bearing down upon them all? And this army was not the fragile orcs they usually fought; this army from the north, from Gundabad, consisted of large, resilient orc fighters. Each one of them was a challenge on their own to any elf, man or dwarf fighter…but now they would be beset by droves.

On the way back, Legolas tried to convince Tauriel to join him again, as protectors of their people, in whatever melee they would leap into. How many of the elves would accept her in their midst yet again? Fight by her prince's side she would, but at one point, she knew she would have to find Kili. If it all would transpire as the catastrophic battle they suspected was brewing, the things she had done in the recent past would no doubt, cease to matter, after the dust settled. But maybe not everything…

The vague worry still brewed in Tauriel's heart; she was now married to a dwarf; a part of the clan that was the instigator of the conflict brewing on the plains before Erebor. That dwarf now stood with his people, against her people. But she felt she belonged with him now. Their entanglement, no elf would condone or understand. She barely did, if she was truthful. But she knew how she felt. The only clarity of the situation, the only time that bizarre fact, the fact that an elf and a dwarf promised themselves to each other, made sense was when she was in Kili's presence.

They rode in on from the north, rounding low on the western spur of the Lonely Mountain, where the Raven Hill outpost rose up as they rounded a hill. A pack of large orks with heavy weapons and banners came into view suddenly, so Legolas had to take quick evasive action, and hide behind a boulder, dropping rapidly off the horse with Tauriel in tow. They recovered quickly despite the rapid descent. They crawled back up to look to the top of the ruins.

A large, white orc was astride a pale warg behind tall banners to the top of Raven Hill. He had the look of a general, scar-carved hide and fierce mug, with a curved blade as an arm, topped by a determined scowl. All around him dozens of orks skittered by. They could not believe what their eyes saw. Legolas and Tauriel looked at each other, incredulous.

The loud drone of a war horn rang out, echoing across the valley.

* * *

><p>The dwarves on the top of the gate of Erebor at first reveled in the fact that their kinsman from the east had arrived. The company yelled out and clanged their swords against their shields as the tension visibly increased in the two armies. They watched as the confrontation between Thranduil, Dain, Bard and Gandalf played out.<p>

But then, they all fell into dumfounded silence as they noticed the sea of orks coming in from the south. No one could utter a word, and they could only watch in horror as the armies before them, once facing each other, now faced the oncoming wall of evil together. The horn sounded off from the top of Raven Hill and all eyes shifted to look towards the Westernmost rim of the mountain's long arms.

"Azog…" Thorin growled loudly, easily recognizing the tall, large pale ork in the distance, his anger making his sight focused and keen… "You!" he shouted, lunging forth.

Then the cries of battle erupted before them and drew everyone's attention away from the outpost to look on the horrific ruckus in the lands below.

That is, all except for Kili, who continued to look up at Raven Hill, breathing hard, his concern for his red haired elf forming a blooming ache in his chest. A strong hand on his shoulder caught his attention, pulling him away from the stone terrace rail. He whipped his head around to find Fili's hazel eyes hard upon him, as he looked into his shocked ones.

"She was up there…" Kili groaned. Fili pursed his lips, and looked back up at the outpost, then back at his brother. Fili seemed to understand, and join in his worry.

"She is a warrior, Kili...a great fighter." Fili whispered. "Keep your faith." Kili grimaced and swallowed, nodding, trying to find some solace in his brother's suggestion. Fili's glance shifted to the plain before them. "Kili… this…it is bigger than us all." Fili groaned, in a low voice. Slowly, the two prices joined the other dwarves.

From their vantage, they could see the armies before them, laid out in the valley below. With deafening yells and clashes of metal, an epic battle ensued. All of the dwarves looked on in shock as the forces clashed, and bodies fell. Blood spilled, that they could see, and it was not only the black blood of the orcs that bathed the sandy color of the plain. The ones who had never seen this before had their mouths wide open in fear and despair upon first sight. The dwarves who had witnessed the horrors of war before stood silent, jaws clenched as memories of fallen brothers burned with pain anew.

"Azog did not do this on his own…there has to be a greater power behind this." Balin said, shaking his head.

"It is a slaughter…" Ori said softly, as he looked out on the plain. "We are outnumbered…" he said, looking back at the other dwarves.

"We cannot win this fight." Balin murmured to himself. A solemn wave washed over all the dwarves.

"Then we die trying." A clear voice shattered the heavy despondency. It was Fili, standing tall and brave; his eyes intense, his stance sure. "We are fighters, all. They…they are our kin." Fili continued, pointing out over the plain, then back at Erebor. "And this…is our home."

"And we must defend it." Dwalin, the battle etched dwarf agreed. He stood up and yelled, brandishing his weapons. "Well…what are we waiting for? We must fight, side by side with…"

"Stand down…" A low command arose from the top of the stairs, silencing everyone. Everyone turned around, incredulous murmurs echoing throughout the group of dwarves. Thorin stood, as a cold, dark figure behind them.

"What?" Dwalin said, shock permeating his features. Thorin turned around, hunched, like a pain was upon his chest, a darkness spreading across his face.

"I said…Stand. Down." he growled. Dwalin shook his head slowly…Kili stepped forward, shaking his head.

"That is madness, Thorin… dwarves are dying out there." Kili said, exasperated. Thorin raged at him.

"Am I not the King?" He shouted loudly, staring at every dwarf with piercing glances. "We …we have to protect the gold…yes…we could gather it together, take it down, all of it into the mines…" He continued, his eyes widening madly.

Thorin continued on down the stairs muttering almost unintelligibly, and walked swiftly into the depths of Erebor. The rest of the company stood agape, paralyzed and heartbroken by what they were witnessing.

* * *

><p>Out on the field, the battle of armies continued in earnest. The sea of black clashed with the metal of the three allied forces. The elves were first to strike. They launched a rain of death, scores of sharp-tipped arrows were propelled into the masses of orks with deadly results. The orks charged, and were only minimally hindered by another deadly volley, before the elf foot soldiers and the dwarves with lighter armor bearing spears and shields rammed their way through the sea of black orks, the soldiers with mattocks fighting on either side of the dwarf battering ram. They made quite the dent but the black battalions kept on coming and coming. The elves, men and dwarves held up much better than the orks in hand to hand battle for some time, but the sheer numbers of orks began to sway the odds, as the black army kept on pouring over the southern rim. Some defenders began to fall among the black bodies, red blood mingling with black, turning into sticky burgundy upon the rocky, dry earth.<p>

Thranduil commanded from the Western side, looking out on their innumerable foes with disgust and rage, as his beloved elves lay dying. He stole a glance at Raven Hill. The pale ork Azog stood upon the tallest terrace in the fort outpost. He maneuvered his troops by changes in the flag and blasts from the battle horn. The low drone belched out again. Immediately, a whole company of beasts turned on their heel and headed backwards, towards Dale.

"They are heading to the city! They will cut us off! Fall back! Head back to Dale!" Bard shouted in the distance. The contingent of man broke ranks and started towards Dale, doubletime.

By the time Thranduil turned his gaze back upon the field, some large orc fighters had rushed through the ranks of his personal guard and were coming towards him. Thranduil brandished his glistening swords, the great elf warrior king responding to the shrieking beasts with swift, deadly steel and calculated strikes to put them to their ends. The sickening sound of the horn bellowed again. The enemy forces were soon joined by large trolls bearing catapults and spikes on their relatively small heads, and they proceeded to batter the walls of Dale.

Thranduil was then besieged by orks, and he rode his elk, slaying anything in his reach around him. He called for his troops to follow him to Dale; those that did hear him struggled to comply. A company of elf soldiers had been left at Dale; Thranduil was hoping to converge with those forces to defend the stone city now besieged. Attacks on his elk felled the great beast, heaving Thranduil into the air just as he arrived to one of the stone bridges. Thranduil looked back as his grand steed collapsed, set upon by more of the creatures. Thranduil raged and beheaded the entire line of orks surrounding the elk, before leaping into action on the bridge.

Even though enraged, the ancient elf king fought with elegance and precision; his deadly blows landing with certainty and efficiency upon his foes, dozens perishing with every rally. His hair flowed in waves behind him, his vestments following in the deadly dance; the only sign that betrayed his stress a slight grimace on his stony face and eyes that were wide and hardened. A large rock destroyed the stone wall adjacent to the gate before him. He had to scale the now destroyed wall to get over the gate, using his swords to somersault from one boulder to the next. He had to leap and flip to avoid a large projectile that destroyed a building within Dale, proper. He fell for about two stories before he landed like a cat upon his feet, deep in a crouch to absorb the fall. He looked up…

Thranduil was now a lone elf in the entry court of Dale…and he was surrounded by dozens of orks. The seething, limping, monstrous beasts growled and cackled. Thranduil stood in silence, breathing heavily from exertion and looked around at them all, his grip on the dragon tooth hilts tightening to whitened knuckles.

Then, swiftly and almost silently, two figures dropped from on high to either side before him. A blur of a brown vestment with blonde hair flowing appeared to his right, taking out several orks in a single swipe.

"Legolas…" Tranduil breathed out.

A blur of a green tunic with fire red hair spun into the cluster of orks to his left. He glanced intensely at the once exiled elf, graceful but deadly at his flank. Before he could comment, the orks right before him rushed him and he had to return to swift, deadly action. Even though Thranduil did not give any indication, the appearance of his best warriors by his side was appreciated. The three elf warriors were then beset upon by scores of orks.

But despite their differences in numbers, it became obvious by the amount of carcasses piling up who were the ones grossly outmatched….

* * *

><p>Thorin rushed down the stairs to the middle of Erebor into the depths of the gold…their gold…his gold. He had to protect it, hide it from his foes outside. Nothing mattered but the gold…Thorin waded into the gold and gathered it up in his arms, looking around for the dwarves he expected to be following him from the gate.<p>

"Where are you all?!" He shouted, looking behind him. Yet no one was there. No one else. Thorin growled and redoubled his efforts. "I cant move all this on my own…into the mines we must go!" he shouted.

By this time he was laden with jewels and gold and all manners of treasure; finding it hard to stand on the shifting mounds. He slipped and fell, sliding down the mountain of gold as an avalanche of coins followed behind him. As much as he tried to scream for help the gold kept on sliding, a huge pile of gold snow careening into him, making him roll further down….he eventually caught a grasp on a ledge and held on until the gold stopped sliding.

Thorin panted and tried to stand up, to turn, but he could not. The gold had insinuated itself within his armor, pinned down his cape…even filled the hollows of his crown. In a panic Thorin thrashed about yelling out for help. He grew silent as he saw something that reached into him and grabbed a hold of his heart.

The little rag doll he had before, the one he found when he walked into his baby sister's room, was far away over the treasure, half buried in shifting gold…almost lost beneath the mounds. Thorin's eyes opened wide…

"No…not that…" He said, the memories of his sister, his family in Erebor, his friends in Erid Luin, the dwarves that fought and died by his side at the battle of Azanulbizar all flashing before his eyes.

_This gold will be the death of you. Who are you, Thorin Oakenshield?_ A voice of reason echoed in his mind.

All this weight was upon him, surrounding him, he was paralyzed. Gold…all his gold…was holding him with a death grip, as if he was being buried alive. Thorin struggled out of his shiny armor, shedding it completely, piece by piece. He even threw off the crown, as a shower of gold coin fell from his head; he shook it and the remaining pieces dropped from his hair.

Gasping, he stood up, his load lightened and his focus steeled. He crawled over to the little doll carefully and gently dug it out. He held it, in his hands, staring at it, panting deeply with his exertion. He could not help but to mist over as he stroked the old yarn head, and straightened the little, faded skirt. A precious little treasure he now held in his hands…a precious memory…

_I hope you realize what true treasure is one day, Brother._

His sister's last words to him echoed in his mind as if echoing in the very halls of Erebor. Thorin blinked as realization washed over him, his mind cleared, and the darkness vanished from his heart.

_I am not my grandfather._

As the weight lifted from him, he gasped for breath… No more did he lust for the gold surrounding him, no more did the jewels that strangled his neck hang from him. Yet he was still weighted; but this time with regret.

"Dis…forgive me…" he whispered, as he stroked the little doll.

Thorin looked around at all the gold with a different mindset. All the treasure in Erebor would cease to matter if there was no one to share it with. None of this gold was worth those he cared for, those he loved. His kin, his people. Thorin blinked, looking back up towards the gate of Erebor, the sounds of battle echoing faintly through the halls. Dain, his cousin, a great leader and fighter in his own right was out there facing a sea of the enemy without them. It was his duty to stand by their side, die by their side if necessary. Now was the time to fight for what mattered most. Was he not, after all, their king?

Thorin stood up, with resolve in his heart, pride rising within him again, with that stance that inspired so many, head held high above those powerful, squared shoulders. To long had he kept his company idle. Now was the time that the Sons of Durin to show their metal…

* * *

><p>Kili could not bear it anymore. With a growl he got up from the stone block he was sitting on in the entrance to Erebor and headed up the stairs to the gate. Fili grabbed his arm.<p>

"Don't do it. It will only make it worse." His brother warned, a scowl on his face. Kili fumed back at him.

"I cant sit idle any more, Fili. This is killing me…" Kili said, bursting with emotion. He shook off his brother's grasp and ran up the stairs.

He ran to the edge of the terrace and could not believe his eyes. Everywhere, as far as he could see was war…seas of black masses with grey steel weapons bearing down upon the legions of dwarves that were fighting valiantly on the plain before Erebor. He looked around to the distance…even larger beasts were strolling through throngs of gold clad elves, bearing down on Dale… Then his heart seized in his chest…they were doomed…vastly outnumbered.

"Oh by Mahal…" he gasped.

An awful sound of a horn bellowed through the air. More orks started to rush before Erebor. He looked where the sound of the horn came from and was gripped with anguish. There on Ravenhill's highest paraphet was the ghastly flags of the Orks, the outpost overrun with black blooded creatures. Kili blinked, holding back his fear and anger, his anxiety eating him alive. He tried to convince himself Tauriel was not there on the top of Ravenhill when they arrived… or so he prayed.

But where was she? Where was his _yasith_?

The forces of the dwarves, stalwart, strong fighters all before Erebor were holding, but they could not do that indefinitely… With a growl Kili trudged back down into the pit of despair, where the company of dwarves were there, lingering, wasting away, gnawed at from within with desperation at hearing all the screams, iron against iron clanging against itself, the war happening just beyond their doors…and they were shackled, unable to do anything about it, ordered by their king to stand down.

Kili stormed past the stairs, and stomped past all the brooding dwarves on his way to find Thorin. He could no longer stand by and watch their dwarf brethren die and do nothing to help. He was a prince, was he not? He had to try to convince Thorin…if that did not work he convinced himself he would beat some sense into his uncle-king. Kili hurried into the depths of Erebor, looking all about.

A figure approached from the darkness as he fumed his way through the dimly lit halls between fallen stone. It was Thorin. Kili gathered himself up, and approached his uncle with fists clenched, enraged…he practically shook with the ire and heat in his veins…

"I…will not hide… behind a wall of stone…while others…fight our battles for us!" Kili screamed at Thorin. His uncle stopped in his tracks as Kili approached. "Its not in my blood, Thorin." He said, distraught, bursting with anger.

But…as the light from the torches lit up his face, Thorin looked different, somehow. Kili's brows knit. Something had changed. His uncle stepped closer to him, with eyes wide open, stern but he looked… lighter. Gone was the cape, the vestments, the armor; gone was that godforsaken crown upon his head. His uncle softened his gaze for a moment and regarded him with warmth and confidence. His eyes were clear.…

"Of course not." Thorin said, as he held Kili's head with a solid, sure hold. His voice was low and ardent. "We are the sons of Durin, and Durin's folk never flight from a fight." Thorin said. Kili gasped.

Thorin pulled Kili in and pressed his forehead to his sister-son' nearly fell to pieces where he stood.

He was back…the uncle he loved and followed and respected…that Thorin was back… Kili's face fell in shock and his eyes grew full. He pursed his eyes and lips closed, tight for a second, all his emotions threatening to burst forth from him. He took a deep breath and steeled himself, and opened his eyes, staring into Thorin's sky blue ones, the shimmering color of a pale cold winter morning, the eyes of the man who had inspired him since he was a boy. Thorin released him and walked by Kili with a fast, sure stride. Kili stood in shock for a second and turned around slowly, to look at his uncle who was approaching the front of Erebor with sure speed. Kili threw his shoulders back, proud to follow his uncle once again, and marched along.

Thorin walked up to his friend and partner Dwalin, who needed only a glance to know his friend had returned with his mind intact. Thorin put a solid hand on Dwalin's shoulder…and the mountain of a dwarf nearly crumbled. Dwalin pursed his lips, his eyes blinking with emotion. Thorin's gaze spoke to his lieutenant in a silent request. Dwalin nodded assuredly.

Dwalin sensed the change. Now this… this was a dwarf he could call King.

Thorin walked slowly to the entrance of Erebor, to commune with the remaining dwarves, who all looked his way upon his entry into their midst. Kili and Dwalin walked after him, and stood at attention, some distance behind Thorin.

"I have no right to ask this of you…" Thorin said, his low voice solemn, echoing in the cavernous entrance of Erebor. He spoke softly to his company, looking each one in the eye. "But…Will you follow me…one last time?"

Fili was the first to stand, a large sword in hand, the golden haired prince nodding with a quiet, stalwart sureness that was his nature. One by one, the remaining dwarves stood and took up arms, in reverence to their king. Thorin was nearly overcome by the ardent displays of his company's loyalty.

Out on the field of battle the dwarves were now left alone to protect the doors of Erebor; the army of men and the remaining elves had turned their forces to try and protect Dale, which was now being overrun by the black army. Screams of women and children were heard as parts of the stone wall crumbled with the onslaught.

On the field, Dain called back his men, to regroup and form a shield just before the entrance to the underground kingdom. Their spirits were trodden, their strength failing.

"Where in blazes is Thorin?" Dain shouted. "We are getting walloped out here!" Dain shouted to his nearest fighters. "We have to fall back!" he shouted.

Then, just as they had almost given up hope, and it seemed that they would perish under the final blow of the black enemy hordes, a great dwarf horn signaled the arrival of the dwarves of Erebor to the battle.

A great, gold bell smashed through the stone wall that blocked their exit, and before the shock wore off, and the orks surrounding the dwarf contingent could think, Thorin's company burst forth through the stones and took their place at the head of the dwarf forces besides Dain…

And all the dwarves rallied on again, as if renewed, to join their king. The company clashed and fought in close quarters with the dwarf fighters of the iron hills against the sea of orcs.

"Thorin! It is good to see you, cousin!" Dain said, once he literally fought his way over to his cousin.

"Dain! So sorry I am late…" Thorin said, between bludgeoning several orcs before him.

"Not to worry, there seems many left to contend with…" Dain replied. "But bloody hell…they keep on coming!" Dain said, approaching Thorin. "It wont be much longer we can keep up like this." He said, seriously.

Thorin looked around, as yet another blast from the orc war horn seemed to bring on another wave of ork fighters. He glared up at Raven Hill. He looked around; his nephews and Dwalin were fighting nearby.

"I think I know just how to slow them down…" he said, glaring. He turned back to Dain. "I have an old score to settle." Thorin growled, as he mounted a nearby short, stocky goat.

By the time Thorin and his best fighters had scaled the treacherous rocks below the ruins of Raven Hill, the upper reaches of the structure grew quiet; an eerie quiet permeated the old fort. Fili and Kili followed him as they crept silently over the steps and looked out upon the frozen river. Dwalin lingered behind, making sure no surprises flanked them.

"Have they gone?" Kili asked.

"No, just hiding in dark holes like the vermin they are." Thorin said. He looked over at his nephews. "Go and scout it out…but be careful." He urged. Both the light and dark haired nephews nodded solemnly. Kili steeled his jaw.

As they entered the lower levels of the fort, Kili breathed hard, trying desperately to push out of his mind the memories he had of this place. Oh, so different it seemed just days ago when he and Tauriel were here, together. This now dark, dreary place that stank of death was once their shrine. He searched around in dread, hoping to the gods he would not see the image of a red haired elf dead among the ruins. He could only hope she was not there when they had come.

Fili and Kili crouched low, with stealth, and they entered the eerily quiet middle level. Kili tapped Fili's shoulder and waved him past an entryway; Kili remembered that being a way with too many hidden spots from which they could be ambushed. A low tapping sound echoed through the stone passages, making them stop in their tracks, as if coming from above. The hair on the back of Kili's neck stood up, and he shook off the chill running down his spine. Everything about this situation screamed danger to his senses…

Fili knit his brows and motioned that they should split up, he taking the high level, Kili the lower. Kili gripped his arm, looking at Fili with a serious stare.

'No…' he mouthed, 'We stay together…' Kili insisted. Fili pursed his lips and reluctantly agreed. Moments later, the silence was shattered.

A borage of tall, dark beasts came at them from out of the shadows. Kili and Fili went immediately into furious battle mode, back to back. An ork crouched and screamed at Kili, who responded with a swift slice to it's throat, to silence it permanently. Kili swung around, spying another to his right and lunged that way, ducking to avoid its mace, and ducked and rolled to kill yet another from below. All around him, orks fell to his blade, and he dared to look briefly at Fili, who seemed to be doing just fine, his broadsword becoming black with ork blood, moving so quickly as to be barely seen.

As Kili sunk his sword into the last of wave of orks in his view, he yanked his sword from the putrid, dark hide and let the body drop with a thud. He turned around, a satisfied grimace on his face. Kili panted a moment with the effort and turned around briefly to look at Fili, who was hacking the head off another ork, the last one on that side, apparently.

"Seems the last of them…" Kili said, in a loud, raspy whisper.

"For now…" he heard Fili say, from behind. "But there will be more." He said, his voice a groan. Kili knit his brows-Fili just did not sound right… Kili turned around slowly, fear gripping him, just in time to see his brother fall to his knees. Kili rushed to his side. His blood ran cold.

Fili had his hand pressed into his stomach, and a look of pain on his face.

"Fili…no…." Kili said, his breath seizing in his throat. "Oh no…" He dropped his sword and kneeled down before Fili, whose eyes rose to his… Kili looked below; already blood was oozing around his hand, which was wedged into his stomach, just below his chest. Kili grabbed his brother and hefted him up, carrying him with one arm, putting him down against a wall beneath the stair. Fili growled in pain. Kili quickly undid the leather outer covering of Fili's vestment, and took it off. Fili's hand was pressed over a rent in the chain mail below. Kili gasped. There was so much blood…

"Let me see…" Kili said, anguish in his voice. Fili panted, and removed his hand. The light was low, but Kili saw the blood gushing out. Kili quickly put his hand over the wound and pressed hard. Fili threw his head back and grunted in pain, eyes squeezed shut, panting. Fili stared up at his brother's face, the grimace sending pangs of dread through Kili. Immediately, Kili wanted to scream with sadness and anger…

No…not his brother…not his careful, courageous, Fili.

"A direct hit…" Fili said, as his eyes opened a little, as he panted between grunts. Fili straightened his face and looked into his brother's eyes.

"Stay quiet…don't waste your breath." Kili said, the tears threatening to squeeze from his eyes. "I have to get you out of here…" Fili gritted his teeth and grabbed Kili's shoulder, just behind his neck, looking hard into his eyes. Fili shook his head. Kili sucked in a breath… "Yes…" he growled.

"No…you can't …you will die…trying to save me." Fili said, through tightened lips, between gasps.

"I'm not leaving you…" Kili said, his eyes wide, incredulous, his free hand gripping Fili's shoulder. Fili closed his eyes and breathed in and out a few times. "Fili…" Kili gasped. Fili opened his eyes, a look of determination in them.

"I will not survive this wound, brother." He said, low and solemn. "I know it."

Kili let a sob sneak out…because he knew the vile words his brother spoke were true. Fili's brows rose.

"But you…you can survive this battle…if you leave this hill now." Fili said, hope in his eyes. Kili shook his head, tears gathering in his eyes.

"Fili…no…" was all he could muster. Fili put a blood caked hand over Kili's hand, the one holding his wound tight.

"Now, little brother…by all that is good and just, listen to me…" Fili said. "Or this battle…will be the death of us all. For once, let reason lead you." he insisted. Kili held his breath, swallowed hard, and nodded, his emotion bursting from him.

"Yes, big brother…" Kili gasped. Fili gave a pained smile, and patted his brother's cheek with a blood soaked hand.

"Good…now…Help me up…" Fili ordered. Fili grimaced and forced his way up to standing, with Kili's help. "Find something to bind me…" He looked down at the floor. Kili pursed his lips and looked around. He quickly used the leather of Fili's armor and the straps with it to tie it around Fili's midsection tightly. Fili winced and groaned in pain but kept standing.

The ominous banging sound started again above them. They both looked up, and then found each other's eyes again. Fili held his brothers face between his hands.

"Go Kili …" Fili said, blinking to hold back his own emotion. Kili's mouth opened with a sob. "Even if...we lose the mountain…you still have something. Go… find her." Fili groaned. Kili closed his eyes tight and wrapped his arm around his brother, holding him desperately close, barely able to hold on to his emotion. Fili patted his back, heavily.

"I can't…I can't leave you…" Kili sobbed…The sounds of monsters ambling towards them came to their ears.

"You have to…" Fili insisted, pushing Kili away. "I will hold them off as long…as I can…" He growled, between pants "…while you go." Fili said. "Do not let me…die in vain… brother." Kili took a few short breaths…

"Fili…" he moaned. Kili saw there was no denying his brother this, a warrior's end, a chance to save his kin. Fili steeled his expression and pursed his lips. Kili did the same, because his brother needed him to.

"I will take as many of them with me...as I can." Fili said, a proud, brash smile on his face. Kili patted his shoulder firmly.

"May your blade be sharp, and your arm sure…" Kili said in a low, commanding voice, as he watched the fire burn in his brother's eyes. Fili turned around, raising his sword, rushing into the oncoming blackness with reckless abandon. Kili could only watch as Fili ran headlong into the fray, the lion into the slaughter, a fighter to the end…

Kili grabbed his sword and ran down the stairs, his heart breaking in his chest as he heard his brother's battle cry, rising above the screams of orks behind him…


	37. Chapter 37

**Author's note: **

**I really just had to trust my muse to lead me through these next few chapters. I hope you will too. ****Nothing about war is pretty.**

**Thank you, reviewers: Anddante, Mfaerie, Kasmira, Tuonora, Margarita, Celebrisilweth, Haku's lover18, butterbum, Adm. J Kirk McGill.**

**Thank you all, readers, for sticking with me. **

**AW**

* * *

><p>Tauriel spun around and delved her blades into another ambling large muscular beast, the spray of their oily black blood bathing her hands again, making her weapons slippery, then sticky. There was no rest for her ire, her vengeance; she worked like a nearsighted machine of death. Her arms were starting to ache, but she drew on her innate hatred of the beasts; the beasts that ended the lives of her parents deserved nothing less than the death their daughter gladly gave them.<p>

That distain surrounded her, strengthened her to push past the pain her body and joints felt when she was temporarily upended or thrown by one of the beasts. Then again she elegantly evaded their blows and used their bulk and lumbering clumsiness against them, with deadly results. The sea of grizzly forms seemed endless, waves of them splashing over the crumbling walls of Dale around them. For a moment she felt a deep despair, afraid none of them would come out of this alive…

Nearby her, she could hear the discontinuous grunts of effort from Legolas, as he slay everything in his path, black beasts falling prey to his twin blades, His lightning fast moves and blazing eyes cutting through the hordes that surrounded them. They had long run out of arrows, and had no time to retrieve them from the heaps of bodies that surrounded them. He seemed too busy to think on the futility of this massacre. From the other corner of her eye she saw Thranduil fighting; she struggled not to gawk at his deadly elegance.

A group of elf soldiers rounded the corner and began to decimate the ranks of the orks surrounding them. These were what were left of Thranduil's private guard, faithful Oreyon in their lead. The orcs ceased oozing over the crumbling wall. Tauriel continued her rampage, a new feeling of glee and lightness permeating her, because reinforcements had arrived. She kept pushing her taxed body onward, into a sea of victims awaiting her blades. Finally, she stood for a minute or two of respite, turning all around, observing Thranduil easily taking out three orks that had gotten through his guard with his long, shimmering weapons, and Legolas, nearby her, starting to pull arrows from the beasts. Ah, the tables had finally turned. Gandalf approached them from behind the elf guards, in the midst of the fight, hurriedly, with the hobbit in tow. Several men soldiers followed him.

"Lord Thranduil…we have gained some control of the orks coming into Dale." Gandalf said, through clenched teeth. "Bard and the men have the eastern walls somewhat secured." He reported. "We may yet live through this." Legolas walked up to them, shaking his head.

"We came back to warn you all. This battle is not over yet. There is another orc army coming in from the North." Legolas insisted. "They will be upon us shortly." Gandalf and Thranduil looked at him with horror.

"There is another wave?" Gandalf gasped. "By all that is holy…"

"How many?" Thranduil asked, with a scowl.

"Legions…" Legolas admitted. "Legions." Everyone around gasped. Bilbo looked towards the north, an expression of exasperated worry on his face.

"The dwarves… I saw them riding up that hill…to fight the white ork." Bilbo said, a combination of shock and worry in his voice. Gandalf nodded his wise head.

"Thorin... he is trying a new attack. By chopping off the head of the snake, the rest of the orcs will have no direction." Gandalf said.

"But…Is that not where this new army would come from?" Bilbo suggested. Gandalf strode up next to Bilbo.

"Yes…I do believe you are right." Gandalf said, brows knitting. Tauriel and Legolas had been listening intently to the exchange, but Thranduil seemed only peripherally aware of the conversation.

Thanduil stood up, turning around slowly surveying the massacre with a lost, forlorn look. Too many of his magnificent elves now lay dead among the enemy. He breathed in a harsh, painful breath, anger rising in his eyes.

"I am fast losing my desire to spill any more elvish blood for this godforsaken land…" Thranduil growled, as he looked back at Gandalf with fire in his eyes. "Oreyon…Call back your men!" Thranduil ordered.

"But…wait… what of the orcs, from…the north? From beyond Raven Hill?" Bilbo asked. Gandalf looked flabbergasted.

"The dwarves are waging an offensive there, to unseat the leader. They will get trapped, with this new wave. Slaughtered! They need your help!" Gandalf insisted. Thranduil looked at Gandalf with anger.

"I waste no more of my elves for this…" he said.

"But…Thorin, Dwalin, Fili and Kili…they are all up there." Bilbo said, his face drawn with worry. "They have to be warned!"

Tauriel shuddered with immediate dread, frozen in place, eyes turning quickly towards the direction of Raven Hill.

"Kili…" she whispered to herself, the expression of shock and fear taking immediate residence. "Oh no…" she said, the dread turning into a hot boulder in her chest.

She started running towards the crumbling outpost of the mountain kingdom as fast as she could, evading the beasts trying to slow her down if she could, slicing them in two if she had to…

"Tauriel! " Legolas cried out behind her, watching as the red haired elf bounded away from their settled position into the seas of dead, dying and fighting beasts below on a direct trajectory to the fort at the top of the hill. Legolas shot a quick glance at his father and pointed after Tauriel. Thranduil's eyes followed.

"She goes to Raven Hill…" Legolas said, concern in his face. "To help the dwarves…"

"That is a fool's mission." Thranduil said. "If she is willing to risk her life again for a dwarf, so be it." Thranduil grunted. Legolas glared at his father, his lips pursed.

"I go with her." He said. Thranduil turned slowly; Legolas was staring hard at his father's face. Legolas turned to follow Tauriel. Thranduil grabbed his son's arm.

"Your feelings are not reciprocated..." he insisted. "She does not love you…" Thranduil whispered urgently. Legolas looked back at his father, a calm resolve on his face.

"If there is one thing I have learned, father," Legolas said, staring into the shocked and appalled eyes of his father. "Is that love…is not all about 'you'…" He said, backing away from Thranduil's grasp. He turned and ran as fast as he could, to join Tauriel.

Legolas realized long before that Tauriel did not feel for him as he would have liked, but…if he truly was her friend like he claimed he was, he would help her defend those who she loved. Even dwarves.

Thranduil looked after his son, open mouthed, dread taking hold in his chest.

_He is so much his mother's child…_ Thranduil thought _Always ready to give his last_…

Oreyon, who had been looking on at all of this from a distance, walked urgently up to his king, a look of stern consternation on his face. Thranduil's shocked stare turned to his most trusted servant.

"_What say you, my King_?" Oreyon said in elvish, through tightened lips, looking at Thranduil hard. "_I can have my best men to follow them in moments, if you bid it._" He said, his words of deference not matching the message he wished to convey…That he would be dammed to let Legolas and Tauriel go this alone.

Thranduil's lost, pained expression remained on his face, yet he nodded once. That was all Oreyon needed to see… But he and Thranduil had to start fighting again before he could yell after his son to wait.

* * *

><p>Tauriel stopped for a moment or two on the lower reaches of Raven Hill , her keen eyes searching the summit for a sign, a glimpse of her dwarf, or any living being in the angular ruins, which was now laced with fog. Tauriel began to gasp with worry. Nowhere did she see Kili. Legolas came up behind her.<p>

"We must hurry…" he said, heading off with her on a swift run towards the upper reaches of Ravenhill. On the way up, they spied Thorin being attacked by a great many creatures, orks and goblins, on the frozen river. Tauriel's worry increased; why was he fighting alone? There were too many combatants for even the highly skilled regal dwarf to handle alone. Legolas looked back at her, readying his bow.

"I'll help Thorin. Go- find him!" He said, in mid pull. Tauriel nodded and scampered into the lower levels of the fort, fighting several orks to get through to a balcony so she could better see the upper reaches. These orks were strong, and did not fall easily, yet she bested them…. For just a second, she saw the flash of dark hair above golden mail, fighting several big, black creatures around him. The ran to another terrace.

"Kili!" She called out, from the wide ledge. She looked around desperately for her dwarf again. "Kili!" She called out again, her heart seizing in her chest. From above and behind her, she heard him…

"Tauriel!" Kili called back, with a tone of surprise. Tauriel turned around, searching.

Suddenly, a large grey and black ork jumped before her and swiped at her so quickly, she barely had time to evade the axe swung her way. She struck back and her body was caught out of nowhere by the mace the large creature held in the other hand. She fell to the ground and when she stood up she was hit hard by the mace again.

Tauriel hit the ground with such force it knocked the breath from her. Through barely open eyes she saw Bolg standing before her, and her heart stilled with fear.

Kili leaped from out of nowhere, landing on Bolg, pulling back on the arm that was about to swing and connect with her head. Kili's weapon, a long dwarf sword that seemed to stay in his hand no matter what spills he encountered, was then pressed hard against Bolg's neck.

The most that accomplished was to distract Bolg temporarily, though. He threw Kili over his shoulder onto some steps nearby. Kili jumped up, recovering quickly. Tauriel scampered to her feet, recovered her twin long daggers and approached Kili, until they were in close quarters, both fighters looking at the large ork beast.

"Tauriel…we can take him, together." Kili said, his voice low and growling. Tauriel glanced at her dwarf, his golden mail stained with black, his face smeared with red blood, yet his eyes hard and intent. Tauriel nodded, a grimace on her face.

"Now…" she said. The two warriors yelled and rushed the tall ork headlong, Kili going low to strike at his midsection, Tauriel high to strike at his shoulders and head. She dug in a blade as she heard the creature groan, and Kili's sword crash against his armor. The deadly mace swung around as Bolg growled in pain, and Kili spun around to swipe at the creatures back, after ducking away from the sharp bladed bludgeoning weapon.

Tauriel swung around his head to hold his thick neck, the sleeve and the skin on her arm getting shredded by the blade encrusted paldron on his shouder. A large hand wrapped around her arm and pulled it with such force as to nearly wrench it out of the socket. She cried out in pain yet clung on hard. The next second, Kili's blade dug deep into the arm attached to that large hand, but Bolg spun around and his fist connected with Kili's jaw. Kili fell back with a grunt but looked up at her, and lunged himself at his legs, to topple the beast. Tauriel distracted Bolg further by twisting the blade she had insinuated into his armor, scraping her fingers across his malformed face, digging her nails into his bulging eyes.

Bolg yelled in pain and toppled, and as he fell forward heaviliy, his head smashed into the wall in front of them with a thud. Tauriel jumped back, off of the felled beast and stepped back, staring at the large ork in awe. Kili nearly got flattened by the top heavy beast, but he scurried out of the way before the collapse. Bolg stayed stilled.

In seconds, Kili was by her side, staring at Bolg in disbelief. They looked back at each other, breathing heavily with the effort. He reached out to her and they clasped hands. Kili dared to let the corner of his mouth rise in a smile as Tauriel breathed out with a sigh of relief. Then Tauriel remembered that they were still in dire straits.

"Kili…there is another orc army, from the north that is now upon us; this ork was one of them. There will be more." She urged. Kili's brows knit, and he shook his head.

"By the gods." he groaned. "We have to go now…" he insisted.

"We can go back to Dale…" Tauriel suggested. Kili's eyes grew wide.

"Thorin…" he said, worry sinking into his expression. Tauriel nodded and pointed to where she had seen Thorin being beset with orks before.

"He was fighting over there when last I saw him." She said. With a nod, Kili pursed his lips and hurriedly started going that way. Tauriel followed behind. After a few steps, Kili looked back at her. Tauriel dared to smile…

But then Kili's expression changed; his eyes widened and his mouth opened in shock. Then he pursed his lips…

It all happened so fast. Kili grabbed her arm and pulled it hard, spinning around her. Then Tauriel felt an enormous force…a heavy blow hit them both and they were launched through the air.

It felt like they flew forever before she struck the wall, the back of her head connecting with the stone with such force that everything went black for a moment…the scene floated back into her vision as she struggled to raise her head, just in time to see the shadowy image of the tall ork raising his arm before her, the bladed mace red with blood…

Out of nowhere, a flash of blonde and brown whooshed before her, and the strong elf descended upon the tall, gory ork. Bolg struggled to remain standing as Legolas attacked him. The teetered back and forth, locked in a struggle. Bolg backed up, trying to free himself from Legolas but they both fell over the edge of the precipice out of her view. Tauriel felt herself scream as her world faded to black…

* * *

><p>Just moments earlier, Legolas had been shooting all of his arrows into the beasts surrounding Thorin until he ran out. He gazed helplessly as Thorin began to fight the huge white ork. Then Legolas heard Tauriel cry out in pain. With a last look at Thorin, he flew up to where he had heard her cry out, just in time to attack Bolg. They fell down off the mountain and were locked in a brief struggle. At one point, Bolg growled at him, throwing Legolas onto a boulder, hand on his neck.<p>

"_I remember you…and I remember the one who looked like you…she would not let us capture the other elves…she offered herself instead." _ Bolg said. "_Her flesh was very sweet…" _ Legolas opened his eyes wide, temporarily in shock. He shook with an anger that welled up from deep in his gut and with a final breath and push, kicked the huge beast before him hard in the soft part of his belly. That made him release the hold on his neck for just a second, but that was enough…

Legolas grabbed the dagger that was still in his harness on his back, and he shoved it with all his might into the creature's eye. Legolas took out the knife and then struck Bolg again and again, all around his face and neck, becoming bathed in his black blood, pushing his body off of him with his strong legs.

Legolas saw red. Rage seethed within him and Legolas released it upon the black creature, hardly hearing his disgusting screams and gurgles, breaking through armor and bone into vital organs again and again with whatever cutting or bludgeoning tool Legolas could wrap his hands around. He avenged the elf who died at Bolg's hands.

This creature…deserved worse than death…for his mother.

Finally, the blood ceased to run, and Legolas stood up, panting with exertion and grief. He stared at the hole riddled carcass. It was done.

His mind shifted to more important things which bade him move, set out on a search…

* * *

><p><em>Tauriel...Tauriel…<em>

She heard Kili's voice, resounding through her head clearly, but it was soft and weak. She raised her head, which was aching as if hit by lightning.

_Tauriel…_

She heard it again. Tauriel struggled up, fighting to push away the pain with a new wind of concern and desperation. She used the adjacent wall to stand, and blinked until her sight cleared. All around her, there were mangled orks. But…oh no… there was not only black blood and bodies. She nearly faltered, nearly unable to go on; because, several paces away, the ground was also bathed in the crimson blood…of a dwarf.

Her heart nearly stopped beating in her chest and she was unable to breathe deeply as the ache spread through her body. There, surrounded by the bodies of black beasts, was Kili in their midst, writhing in pain.

His face was a mask of agony, his body covered in blood and gore, his chain mail breached at his midsection, a wide chasm off to one side running freely with blood and fluid. She walked up beside him, checking briefly for live enemies moving around her to find none. Kili's eyes opened widely, shock and pain wracking his features. Tauriel could hardly contain her dismay…she fell to her knees before him.

"Tauriel…" he uttered, just before coughing, blood dripping from the corners of his grimace.

Tauriel worked at removing the ragged chain mail armor with shaking hands; to see the damage below… she lifted it from his body and stared, in horror. A large gash tore through his vestments below, revealing that he had nearly been hacked in half…Tauriel let the mail fall away and pulled Kili to her, holding him desperately close, but he cried out in pain again, his hand grasping his side, his face blanching. She clamped her hand around his wound, the flesh torn, warm and slick with blood. She uttered an incantation over and over, trying her hardest to heal the wound; she felt the rapid drain of energy, but it was faster and more deep than she could bear; it seemed there was not power enough to heal this wound. Kili yelled out in pain, and shook so much she had to stop. Her futile attempts were only making his pain worse.

_It is only a matter of time…his fate is sealed_…

Tauriel became aware of a figure rising from just beyond the edge of the precipice; she tensed up in fear…but then gasped with relief. It was Legolas. He was covered in black blood and gore himself. As he glanced at her, his face showed his deep relief at finding her alive. But then his eyes drifted down to the dwarf she held in her arms and his brows rose, and his lips formed a line, pursed together. Wordlessly, he came to the same, sad conclusion. After looking into her eyes, he bowed his head and turned, heading away, back where he came from, leaving her and Kili alone.

Tauriel cradled Kili in her arms, the desperation threatening to make her scream. Tauriel struggled not to cry out with the boiling thoughts of anger and pain and hopelessness that were turning her blood cold as the realization sunk deeper yet.

_Kili is dying._

All around them seemed to fade into silence, the only thing she saw was Kili, the only thing she heard was his labored groans, the only thing she was aware of was the body of her dying lover before her. Tauriel took a few deep breaths as Kili writhed and groaned before her, his eyes wide, nearly unseeing, as his body twisted wildly in throes of pain, nearly out of her arms. She steeled herself to tend to him, pushing away her own pain, desperately holding back the sorrow that was threatening to paralyze her where she sat. She closed her eyes and held back the sadness as she put her thumb on his forehead, her fingers alongside his face, and uttered the incantation of _Medui Thul, _the Last Breath. Her voice escaped her just before she was done.

Tauriel gripped Kili tightly afterwards, and held his face as the expression on it changed. His eyes, which before, were pressed shut in pain and his jaw, which had been clamped tight, began to release, moment by moment. His eyes fluttered open and focused on hers… Tauriel breathed quickly but she pursed her lips, stroked his face, and struggled to smile…

"Tauriel…" he said, barely above a whisper, his low timbre still there, his chest rising and falling with rapid pants.

"I'm here, Kili…" she said, softly, gently, stroking his hair, his face… He furrowed his brows, then looked at her with softness.

"You…took away…the pain." He said, his eyes tracing her face.

"Yes." She whispered, her smile becoming more genuine. A wave of sadness hit her hard, and she struggled to not break into tears. But Kili saw her anguish. He swallowed, and tried to look down at his wound. She tilted his head gently back up to look into her face. "Please... don't look." She suggested, shaking her head. "The wound is deep..." Was all she could mention. Kili nodded and pursed his lips.

"I know… what it means." He said. "There is nothing…you … can do…" Kili continued, the realization spreading over his face, and with it came a somber sadness. . Tauriel swallowed hard.

"Why, Kili?" she said, her voice shaking. "Why did you do that?" she asked, quietly. Kili lifted his hand to hold hers, clasping it over his chest, as it rose and fell rapidly.

"You….are an elf. You…can live…till the end of days." He said between gasps, his look of love and adoration floating over her features. "I…I...will not." Tauriel gasped; and tears began to fall.

"I don't want to live forever without you…" she confessed, tearily. Kili pursed his lips and sadness floated over his features.

"Tauriel … you can… you must." he said softly, sweetly. He raised his hand to stroke her face, and held her by the back of her neck, his eyes searching her face, wandering all over each fine feature. His face relaxed more and more with the euphoric relief of pain that the incantation afforded the mortally wounded. Tauriel sucked in a breath with the sensation of his fingers in her hair, once again, for the last time…

"Do you still have it?" he asked. Tauriel blinked at the question for a moment, and then nodded, retrieving the little stone from the pocket in her tunic. He looked down and touched it. "You did return…"

"Of course, my heart." She managed to say. Kili's weakened hand shook as he folded her hand over it.

"Please…take this ...to my mother." Tauriel had to hold back a gasp. He gripped her hand. "Promise me, Tauriel, … that you will be the one to…place it in her hands…" he said, his eyes pleading. She nodded rapidly, grabbing a few shallow sobbing breaths, the only breaths her aching chest would allow.

"I will…" she said. Kili coughed a bit, his body shaking in her arms, blood running freely from his side again. Tauriel tightened her hold around his midsection. He eventually settled down, much weaker, barely able to hold her hand tightly anymore.

"Tell her… what happened here. Tell her…about us." He said, his eyes softening. "Tell her…that…her son finally learned…what it is… to love." He said, a small smile on his face. Tauriel gasped, heartache floating over her face. Kili stared at her, wonder and worship in his eyes, as if he would never stop looking at her. Yet Tauriel knew he was not long for this world, his breaths becoming more and more shallow, his face getting paler and paler.

"I swear upon the Spirits of Valinor it will be done." She said, uttering her most sacred of oaths. Kili's eyes blinked with satisfaction, and he returned his hand to stroking the edges of her face. She closed her eyes, as she pressed her face to his hand. His touch stroked her soul.

"I am sorry… Tauriel. I promised… I would never hurt you…" She heard Kili gasp and she put her hand on his, and felt his weak fingers tighten under hers. They stared into each other's eyes, Tauriel's eyes filled with sorrow.

"Kili…" she whispered. She kissed his forehead, cold and clammy, after gently pushing aside his distinctive, wayward locks. Tauriel swallowed and held his cheek. "You never did." Tauriel said, her voice quivering. She gripped his hand tightly, surrounding his cold fingers with hers.

Tauriel smiled so she would not weep, and lowered her head to his, and kissed him, the salt and rusty flavor of the blood on his lips filling her mouth. She didn't care… As she parted from his lips, Kili's lips curled up into a relieved smile, and his eyes gazed into hers with wonder.

"Tell…me again…about…your stars..." he asked, his eyes floating slowly over her face. Tauriel breathed deeply, her lips parting.

"In the dark, velvet blanket of the night…the stars are like innumerable sparkling diamonds, twinkling…spirits alight." She said, struggling to smile as she stroked his face.

"The light… of forever…" he said, as his eyelids blinked slowly. She held back the sensation of her heart in her throat.

"The stars are most beautiful when viewed on moonless nights…through the break in the trees above a little cabin in the forest, built from the side of a mountain." She said, touching his face tenderly. "One you can both feel the freedom of the trees and the warmth of the earth." Kili's eyes opened wide and he looked at her with sad wonder. Tauriel smiled a bit more. "It has the most gorgeous terrace on the roof, and a tub built for two." She said, feeling the heat in her face threaten to cloud her vision. "Inside, it has the biggest stove in middle earth. In the front, the air is filled with the scent of herbs, the whole place surrounded by the most exquisite flowers…." Kili's eyes misted with tears as he smiled.

"Oh, Tauriel…" Kili's wavering voice shook as he blinked. "I can see it…" he said, his consciousness starting to fade. Tauriel held her breath as his eyes struggled to open again. She leaned closer. "But…where…where is the moon?" he asked, his voice starting to fade. Tauriel pursed her lips and held his face near hers.

"She is out looking for a reckless little dwarfling, one who outrun her years ago in the Blue Mountains." She said, a sad smile gently wafting over her lips. Kili's eyes opened wide and focused on her, with more life and strength than she thought he could manage at that moment.

"You… found me…_ Yasith._…" he breathed, each breath an immense effort. _ Amralime…" _ He whispered, slowly.

"_Le melin_…_Hervenn."_ Tauriel said, her hand caressing his face, which was getting paler and paler, the sparkle in his eyes fading as his body stilled.

_I love you…_ _Tauriel_…

She heard it in her head, as an echoing whisper, and then, all was silent. Tauriel lost her breath as the aching heart in her chest shattered into pieces, and her body went numb.

And the youngest Son of Durin let out a long, slow exhale…

* * *

><p>From on high where he was, Legolas could see everything as it continued to transpire. His attention was grabbed by the loud, bellowing growl of a bear and the shrieks of eagles. The sounds caught the attention of all the elves, dwarves and men in the valley, as well as the mindless beasts around them. All eyes turned up to see it… it was unbelievable.<p>

The dark clouds of the heavens were silhouetted by hundreds of large wings, the talons spread out, the beaks open and ready. All orcs began to retreat. The eagles made quick work of the many bats that flew above. Then they flew low and killed scores of the black creatures at a time, the ground below them turning black with the fresh carnage. The large figure of an irate, massive bear came into view, running through the seas of black fighters, cutting swaths of death with wide blows from his giant paws, claws ripping through hide and sinew, laying to waste dozens of the beasts with each pass. Within moments it was quite evident the fates had turned.

But there was so much tragedy that surrounded him, Legolas could not feel joy at it, despite the path to victory that was now evident. It was a bitter victory, one heavy with cost. He thought back upon the last few moments, when he found Tauriel, cradling a very wounded dwarf in her arms. Legolas had wandered away from Tauriel and Kili in a daze after he saw the grave situation; it was just best to leave them alone. No, this was their time, and theirs alone, and there was little left of it from the looks of it. To be honest, Legolas was devastated to see such a thing transpire. Even though he did not much like the young dwarf, he would never have wished that fate upon Kili. But Legolas was more hurt for his friend. He would have never wished any of this upon Tauriel…

He stumbled over to his right just in time to see Azog, the orc leader, surrounded by his dark blood, lying still, impaled into the white ice of the frozen river. He saw Thorin walking away slowly, but then he faltered and fell to his knees, the dark red trail behind him obviously blood spilt from the dwarf king's own veins. Legolas started towards him, but then he halted; other dwarves were rushing to his side.

Legolas sighed heavily as he looked around, and as far as he could see, there was death. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of orks were felled all over. But, unmistakeably, there were also elves, man and dwarves that lay slain, hapharzardly strewn upon the mountain's slopes, on the plain before Erebor, on the hills surrounding Dale. Legolas crouched down, weighed heavily by the sights and sounds that permeated his senses. He did not know how long he stayed there, still and silent, as his mind struggled to come to terms with all that he had witnessed this day.

Death is a difficult concept for an elf to tolerate, to understand. It is not a natural part of their existence; death comes as a tragic accident or intentional act of violence. For Legolas, so many of these elves were his own, elf soldiers he had been with, led for centuries, that each one he recognized stung his heart. He gasped and knelt down on one knee, praying for their spirits as they traveled far away from this forsaken place.

Legolas gasped as he looked at the grey sky above him, the clouds amassing over them as if the clouds themselves were also saddened by the unspeakable loss. They had triumphed over the forces of darkness this day, as fortune would have it, and only because of the help of Eagles and a shapeshifter. But the darkness, the evil trying to gain control of middle earth still lingered, a distant threat at the moment, but one that would shadow all of Arda until it was dealt with. He looked over the land, and even though this horrible incidence was causing him such pain, deep in his heart he knew he belonged in this very place, no matter the angst it gave. His was not a life to be lived in the shadows of a fortress hidden in Mirkwood. He was meant to stand with his brethren from other races, against this onslaught of evil. That path, though fraught with danger, was what he now knew was his warrior call.

A sound to his right shattered his introspection.

"Kili! Kili! Where are you, lad?" A dwarf scampered up the hill, looking frantically about and was startled when he saw Legolas crouching low near the edge of a ledge. The dwarf paused and backed up a little.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Legolas stood up, wiped his blade and nodded.

"I'm fine." Legolas said, looking at the dwarf with a serious, solemn glance. "But…I know where he is…"

* * *

><p>"Lass…" Someone said, in a low, sad tone. Tauriel could not move.<p>

"Lass…he's gone." The voice said, a little louder and more insistently. Tauriel blinked her eyes and looked down at the body that weighed like lead in her grasp. Skin ashen against dark hair, colored only with streaks of red all over. His eyes were barely shut. Devoid of life…

It hardly looked like him…

Tauriel did know how long she had been there. She looked around. It was obviously long enough for quite a representative group to surround her…elves and dwarves looked on in sad silence.

"Lass…" The voice said again. She focused on the face of a dwarf she barely knew before her, his hair matted with blood, his own and the black blood of their enemies, his eyes clear and filled with grief.

Bofur put his hand on the arm Tauriel had tightened like a vise around Kili.

"There is nothing more you can do, Lass. We will care for him now." He assured her, his voice laden with sorrow. She breathed a shaky breath and swallowed, nodding her head in agreement. She released her grasp and gasped as Kili's head fell lifelessly back.

Bofur caught his head and cradled Kili's limp body, resting him gently on the ground, out of her hold. Immediately, two other dwarves surrounded them.

Familiar hands were a gentle weight on her shoulders.

"Tauriel. Come." The quiet, low voice of Legolas filled her ears, surrounding her, as his strong hands squeezed her arms gently. "We must go." With some effort, Tauriel rose up, and she stole a last glance at the still body between the dwarves.

It hardly looked like him.

She walked away in a lurid haze, her body lead by her lifelong companion at her side, his strong grasp giving her legs the will to keep going. They walked down the long way off of Ravenhill, to the decimated ranks below in the plateau. She barely recognized Oreyon as he came before her, his blonde hair streaked in black.

"Tauriel…we need you. There are so many whose lives hang by a thread. There are so many more wounded…" he said, before realizing how affected she was. "Tauriel?" he questioned, his look changing to unease. Oreyon's eyes shifted over to Legolas. "Is she hurt?"

"Not bodily." Legolas replied. Legolas leaned over to Oreyon and whispered something. The way Oreyon looked back at her, she knew exactly what Legolas had said.

That Kili was dead. Tauriel winced. Even to think it… hurt.

"I will do it, Oreyon." Tauriel heard herself say, before even realizing it, as if speaking from outside herself. Tauriel looked up at the face of her prince, coming more into sharp focus. Legolas pursed his lips and turned to Tauriel, a look of caring and concern etched on his regal features. He stood before her, his anxious eyes looking into hers. His hands clamped on her upper arms, as if to hold her up.

"Are you sure, Tauriel?" He asked quietly. Tauriel breathed a few times, bringing herself completely into focus, concentrating on the now stained elven armor on her prince's chest. "You don't have to do this…" She blinked rapidly.

"Yes…yes, I must." She said, as she raised her head to look into his worried blue eyes. She knew as a healer, she had to do her duty.

"I will stay with you..." Legolas said, the look of worry remaining on his face.

They wandered through the nightmarish aftermath of the battle, for what seemed like forever, responding to cries for help and groans of pain. Tauriel healed many men, elves and dwarves, but she used the incantation of the Last Rite more than she ever wanted to. Each time, the vision of life draining from familiar, beloved, dark eyes flashed before her, and her heart ached anew. Finally, she collapsed forward after walking away from the last man she gave the rite and gasped deeply as if she could not find her breath. Legolas was next to her shortly.

"Tauriel!" he said, the genuine concern in his voice a light in her darkness.

"I…just cant…anymore…" she said, shutting her eyes hard, so the death and blood and evidence of violence no longer invaded her vision. She covered her face and leaned forward, curling up into a ball. Arms surrounded her shoulders.

"Alright, that is enough. You did well today, Tauriel. Very well…" Legolas said, his voice a comforting salve. Tauriel leaned into his broad chest and the strength drained from her. Before she collapsed to the ground, Legolas had her, scooped up in his strong arms. "I am so proud of you…" He said. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face against his shoulder, shutting out the light, shutting out the pain.

She barely could sense the time that passed as he carried her out from the battlefield. She heard murmurings and mutterings all around her but her mind was so overwhelmed she did not bother to put the sounds into language.

"Legolas! What happened?" Tauriel finally heard the familiar, low voice of King Thranduil, and did discern his words.

"She is not hurt, just completely and utterly spent." She heard the voice of the one who carried her quite close to her ear.

"Take her to Oreyon." Her king said.

"Yes, father." Legolas replied.

Tauriel only opened her eyes when she was placed on a soft mat atop a cot. She was in a well-lit elvish tent. Urgent whispers were exchanged between Legolas and Oreyon, who were nearby. Oreyon approached and looked at her with concern. He held a small cup to her lips.

"Come now, drink." She heard him say. She took in the liquid; it was burning with alcohol and bitter with herb. He gave her several other tinctures, despite her protests. She finally gave in, taking the hot liquid in, feeling it burn all the way down her throat. Oreyon laid a hand on her head and murmured an incantation over her. Tauriel felt her body relax and her head become hazy. Her lids became unbelievably heavy and numbness washed into her mind, over her body. He got up and approached two other shadows standing nearby. The hushed voices revealed it was Legolas and Bard now with Oreyon. Tauriel looked their way through barely opened eyes, unable to move.

"Her energy is down, but what ails her most is her spirit. It is severely damaged." Oreyon said. "She needs to rest; and that she will with what I have given her." Legolas grunted and nodded. The vague shadow she assumed was Bard looked on with concern, shaking his head.

"This day has seen too much tragedy for us all. This fight has taken such a heavy toll on the men of Dale as well. And what of Thorin Oakenshield?" Bard whispered.

"His body has been taken to the King's tent, attended to by dwarves and the hobbit. He did not survive, after the fight with Azog, and the grief that struck him upon learning of his kin." Oreyon said.

"Both of his nephews fell…what a horrible shame." Bard said. Legolas mumbled something Tauriel could not hear, and the three men left the tent. Tauriel eyes wafted closed in the drunken and drugged haze.

_So…Kili's brother was slain as well. Fili; the kind, young, loyal brother was gone. And Thorin would not live to rule his kingdom._ Tauriel shut her eyes in despair.

None had escaped the dragon's curse of doom. Everyone had paid such a harsh, final price.

* * *

><p><strong>(I know, that was difficult. Just trust me...keep reading.)<strong>


	38. Chapter 38

**Author's Note**

**I know everyone is in shock.****That last chapter took many hours and tissues to write.****I understand the hate mail and I hope you will forgive me. So you don't go on teary eyed with heavy hearts (and because it was already written) I had to put up the next chapter. **

**One note; I felt it important to portray Legolas differently in LMTF; one more congruent with what he was like in LOTR; a loyal, strong friend who would support someone to the end rather than abandon them just because his feelings were hurt.**

**Thank you, reviewers, for your comments.**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Gandalf looked up at the towering remains of Raven Hill from a position on the hill where he could see the three flags that fluttered over the new memorials, where swords impaled the blood soaked ice and rock. Later they would be marked by stone tablets, but not now when they were so fresh, the memory too recent.<p>

They marked the places where the Sons of Durin fell.

"So much bloodshed…." Gandalf bemoaned, his head bent as he used his staff to walk along, his wrinkled, leathery face in a sad scowl, the pointed hat usually on his head in his hands.

"Did this turn out how you expected it to?" an airy, echoing voice spoke, as if surrounding him. Gandalf's eyes rose. It was Galadriel who graced his vision now, a happy change from all this stark sadness and death.

"I don't know what I was expecting. But it was not this." He lamented, walking up to her. "My lady… I thought you were resting." He said, with realization. "After all that transpired at Dol Guldor…"

"I had to come." She said, glancing up at Raven Hill's summit. Gandalf sighed, following her gaze.

"Thus ends the line of Durin, with the deaths of Thorin and his sister-sons." He said, with heaviness. "They have removed their bodies, but their blood still stains these stones." He sighed, looking back up at her "But…It is always a pleasure to see you, my Lady." He said.

"As it is for me, Mithrandir. But this time, it was not you I came to see." Galadriel said, quietly, her face set with seriousness. "I came to see someone…in great pain." She said. Galadriel looked towards the memorials.

"Great pain is felt by us all; with the fightingand deaths we have witnessed." He said, pursing his lips. She looked back at Gandalf.

"Not like this..." She said, softly, her ancient eyes searching the fields down the hill, to the tents where the where the bodies of the dwarves had been taken, a staging ground where they would be cleaned and dressed before their carriage into Erebor, and into the grand crypts of Erebor's royalty. Her eyes rested on a single small tent. "Over…there." she pointed. Gandalf looked to where the elegant finger indicated.

"That is the tent where the youngest dwarf, Kili was taken. The elf warrior, Tauriel, mourns by his side…" Gandalf said, his brows furrowing together. "It is the strangest thing…that such a close friendship developed between elf and dwarf, in so short a time." He explained. Galadriel looked towards the tent, a serene sadness on her face.

"It was more than that…" she said, starting to walk down the hill slowly, moving with the soundless elegance of an elf. Gandalf scratched his beard, confused, shaking his head. Gandalf donned his hat and hurried along behind her.

"I am afraid I do not follow you, My Lady." He started. "What do you mean?" Galadriel stopped and turned to him slowly.

"Their youth and willingness to see beyond their people's hate allowed something more to grow and bloom. Love. A very… special love." Galadriel said, as she looked back towards the tents. Gandalf blinked in disbelief.

"Love? Between a dwarf and an elf?" he stuttered, incredulous. "That is unheard of…"

"Yet quite possible." Galadriel said, continuing on her journey, slowly. Gandalf hurried along behind her.

"Well…I guess it could be so…but why did you have to come to her?" He inquired.

"An elf can wither away and die from a broken heart… Tauriel is young and may be unable to cope with this devastation." Galadriel confided. Gandalf's thick, bushy brows knit.

"How awful…I did not know it was even possible for that to…occur." Gandalf said, scratching his beard. She looked at Gandalf intently.

"I sensed her pain strong…from many miles away." She commented, a faraway look in her eye. "She has a gift she is not fully aware of as yet…a potent gift." Then she looked directly at him. _Mithrandir…I must see her. She has the power of a mystic._ Gandalf heard Galadriel say in his mind.

"Remarkable…" Gandalf said, the surprised look foreign on his usually all-knowing face. "This way." He motioned, rushing towards the tents. As they reached the small enclave of tents, a small figure came towards them.

Balin approached them looking exasperated, wringing his hands, looking sadly at the tent behind him. He held his hands up to stop them.

"We are ready to move with Thorin and Fili…We must take Kili soon." Balin said, with worry painted on his face. "There is much still left to do in the ceremony before the sun sets upon this day, and the sons of Durin must be commanded to their final resting place in Erebor." He said, shaking his head. "But…I haven't the heart to tear him away from her." Gandalf nodded and patted the distraught dwarf's shoulder.

"We will take care of it." He said, mouth pursed in sad acceptance.

* * *

><p>Within the tent, the youngest Son of Durin was laid on a bolstered stretcher, in the center, raised just off the ground in respect. Every inch of him had been purified from the ork blood that had splattered and spilled. Kili had been tenderly cleaned, his wound wrapped and the royal vestments he would wear in his crypt placed on him, neatly, with exquisite care. His garments were rich blue and gold, the front neatly adorned with gilded metal, bright against his pale skin, yet the collar was unhooked at his neck, the vestment worn with little fussiness, much like Kili himself would have donned it. His hair was washed clean and dried, tossled loosely around his head, the dirt wiped from his cheeks. His eyes were closed, his handsome face set in a relaxed expression, lips closed. Next to him, where she had been since she had arisen, was Tauriel.<p>

The Lady Galadriel walked silently behind Gandalf until their entry into the tent where Tauriel was holding vigil at Kili's side. Gandalf stopped short upon seeing her by the young dwarf. Galadriel walked slowly around Gandalf and gazed down at the fallen soldier as Gandalf glanced her way. Her head tilted in a curious manner and a look of subtle surprise fluttered over her beautiful features, before becoming pensive.

_All is not as it seems, Mithrandir…I don't quite understand it…_ Her voice echoed in Gandalf's head. Gandalf's brow raised, and he wished to inquire further on what she meant, but he knew it was not the time…

Tauriel had not moved for hours. Others had come and gone into the little tent where she now was, but she barely saw them, remembering them as slow moving shadows that walked around, uttering sad words and condolences. She only vaguely remembered the image of King Thranduil walking through, but she remembered the heavy weight of his hand on her shoulder and his sigh as he passed her on his way out. It had been quiet for some time, so Tauriel was now sitting on bent legs, right alongside Kili, very close to her lover's body. Tauriel's heart ached with every breath as she looked over Kili, silent tears streaming steadily down her face, one hand wrapped tightly around his limp fingers. Her face was becoming as pale and as ashen as his with her grief. She heard the tent door pull aside. It was the wizard Gandalf approaching her…with…

"My Lady Galadriel…" Tauriel, said, shocked, leaning back on her haunches to rise, trying to maintain her composure. Galadriel put a delicate hand upon her shoulder.

"Tauriel of The Woodland realm." she said, in her breathy, ethereal tone. Tauriel sat back down and looked up at the beautiful Lady of Lorien. Galadriel looked at her intensely as she kneeled down before the saddened elf.

_I know you can hear me, my child. _

Galadriel said, but not with her voice. Tauriel blinked in surprise. The Lady of Lorien was speaking to her in her mind. Galadriel put her hand on Tauriel's head, her other hand resting on Kili's forehead gently. She closed her eyes and breathed. Then she opened them, and looked slowly between Kili and Tauriel.

_You mourn a lost love._

Tauriel nodded, then struggled against tears, growing unable to hide it. Gandalf backed away slowly.

"How did…you know?" Tauriel said, in a small voice.

_Your sorrow was easy to feel, my dear. Even across the miles to Lorien. _Tauriel lowered her eyes to Kili again.

"They want to bury him now. But…how can they just imprison him in the dark?" Tauriel said, leaning over, shoulders hunching with pain. "He was…light and…life."

"It is their custom, as their spirits go in wait at the Halls of Madros. They do so for all their brave warriors." Galadriel remarked.

_For those left behind, it will be difficult._ Galadriel's voice echoed in Tauriel's head.

Tauriel looked over Kili, a sob escaping her as she pressed Kili's hand to her chest, her eyes wincing with anguish.

"It hurts. It hurts so much, even to breathe. I wish this pain would leave me…" she whispered through tears, rocking slowly. Galadriel tilted her head slightly.

"I can take it from you, child of the starlight." Galadriel said softly, stroking her hair, gazing upon her with gentle eyes. Tauriel looked up at her with surprise.

"You can?" Tauriel said, brows knitting, wiping her eyes. Galadriel took her hand and held it.

"Yes. But as the pain leaves, so will the memories." Galadriel said. Tauriel looked at Galadriel, wide eyed, and held her breath. "Every word, every touch, every moment you had together will cease to exist for you. And all the gifts he ever gave you…will vanish." Galadriel said, her eyes lowering. She pursed her lips. "Is that what you want?" Galatriel looked up to Tauriel's eyes sharply. Tauriel blinked her eyes, and shook her head slowly no, realization in her gaze. "Are your memories worth the pain you bear now?"

"Yes…yes…I…don't want to forget." Tauriel said, and then looked down at Kili, her eyes softening. "I don't want to forget anything…" She said, leaning over, stroking Kili's hair. "Not a single moment…" she whispered, a small smile forming on her saddened face.

Galadriel closed her eyes and breathed out as if relieved. Her eyes opened again, and a smile formed on her lips.

"Good. But now, my dear, you must say goodbye to him." Galadriel urged quietly, as she rose to standing. Tauriel looked up at her, swallowing hard.

"I don't know if I can …" Tauriel whispered, holding Kili's hand tighter.

_His body you will leave here, yet he will always be with you, my dear. Every moment you had together was precious_.

Galadriel's voice echoed in her mind, and then Tauriel sobbed suddenly, and nodded in agreement, her eyes closing as her head bowed.

"Yes…yes, they were." She said.

Tauriel looked down at Kili's perfectly peaceful expression, his high cheekbones, the sprigs of hair on his forehead, his long lashes, shadowed face, and his full lips as if to capture it forever in her gaze. Slowly, she bent over Kili and planted a soft, gentle, sweet kiss on his lips. At that moment, behind her closed lids, the visions of their time together flew quickly through her mind's eye, from the first gaze in Mirkwood to his last words on Raven Hill.

"_Amralime_…" Tauriel whispered "…_le melin_." She said, words of love in both their tongues, as she raised her lips from his.

Gandalf watched on, his heart aching, but his eyes caught a movement. He raised his gaze to look from whence it came. Galadriel's arms were above them, with her hands palm down, moving slowly in front of her, over the dwarf and elf. Gladriel's eyes were closed, her lips moving fast, as if uttering a silent incantation. A brightness, as if the sun was peeking above the horizon came from Kili and Tauriel. His brows knit. Galadriel's eyes and mouth opened slightly, as if surprised for a moment, but by the time Tauriel looked back up at her again, Galadriel's hands were clasped together before her, and a gentle, caring smile fell on her face.

"Love is the most powerful force in the world, child." Galadriel said, a bit breathless. "It can do the most amazing things…even heal broken hearts." Tauriel blinked a few times, and nodded.

"I hope so." Tauriel said, while giving Kili one last tender look and his hand one more squeeze. She placed his hand gently on his chest. He looked so peaceful at that moment that Tauriel had to remind herself that he was not just sleeping…

Galadriel looked at Gandalf with a cautioning, knowing expression. Tauriel rose slowly, leaving Kili alone, finally.

They all exited the tent, much to the relief of the dwarves waiting outside. The wizard, the elf queen and the warrior were guided by the dwarves to stand among a group of elves and Lakemen somberly in wait a short distance away. Balin motioned briefly to Tauriel, a subtle question on his face.

"Do you want to join us, in the procession into Erebor?" He asked, softly, just so she could hear. Tauriel gasped and shook her head slowly.

"No…I don't think I can…" She whispered back. It had taken every ounce of strength she had before to leave Kili. Balin pursed his lips and gave a respectful nod. He walked away, joining the procession.

Tauriel was greeted quietly by Legolas, who gave her a sad smile and stood beside her as they gazed on. A low dwarven drone, and funeral drums echoed off the rocks surrounding the plains before the Lonely mountain, marking the start of the funeral of the House of Durin.

The procession started underway, Dain leading from the front. The members of the company were among those who bore Thorin, Fili, and Kili from their tents, the parade with as much pageantry and honor as the Dwarven customs and this somber occasion allowed. King Thranduil and Bard followed immediately behind, in positions of honor as leaders in attendance. Thranduil held the sword Orchrist sheathed in gloved hands before him, a final token of honor to the deceased King Under the Mountain from the Elves. Bard gingerly and somberly carried the glowing heart of the mountain, the Arkenstone, to place in Thorin's grasp once his body was in its final resting place. They were followed by the remainder of Dain's battle tested force.

Legolas heard Tauriel gasp, and he placed a strong hand on her shoulder. Tauriel struggled to hold herself still and upright as she felt as if her very life would drain from her, as they carried Kili away. She held her breath the entire time the procession walked to Erebor, eventually releasing it when they disappeared into the dark halls.

* * *

><p>Gandalf stood close behind Galadriel, looking on the somber scene with pursed lips, some distance away from Legolas and Tauriel. In his long existence, he had seen way too many of these such things, and it tired his soul to witness it yet again for these men he had grown to know and befriend. He just really wanted a good, long draught from his pipe. That would suit him just fine, he felt. Yet he could not help to wonder…<p>

"So…what were you up to, back there, my lady?" He whispered, not too far from Galadriel's ear.

_I did nothing; I was there as witness, just as you were…_

"What of the light?" Gandalf asked.

_Great forces are at work here that I do not understand; the very spirit of Middle Earth is unsettled, a tempest is brewing, and at the center, the darkness that has returned. The voices of the Valar are murmuring, but I cannot comprehend them. I don't know what this elf and the dwarf have to do with it, I only know that there is something afoot. Theirs was such a deep, powerful love such that even the gods took notice. We must have patience, my dear Mithrandir. Things will happen …only when and if they should. _Galadriel's jeweled voice echoed in his head. _Then and only then…will we understand. _

Gandalf pursed his lips and grunted, disgruntled by this mystery.

* * *

><p>Before leaving, Galadriel met briefly with Tauriel in private. Later that night, in the evening's shadows, they walked along one of the bridges leading from Dale.<p>

"You have more strength in you than you realize, Tauriel." Galadriel said softly. Tauriel guffawed weakly and shook her head.

"You say that, yet I feel like I have no life left in me." Tauriel said slowly. "I barely feel as if I have the strength to breathe." She confessed, knitting her brows and looking towards Erebor. "It is as if I have been placed in that tomb myself; the day surrounds me, yet I cannot feel the sun. People speak, yet they sound distant, muffled. Even the very colors around are as if everything has faded." She gasped. "I cannot even fathom how to navigate the days before me."

"The wound is still fresh in your heart, my dear." Galadriel said. "Give it time." Tauriel crossed her arms and shook her head.

"But I am a warrior. Bitterness is some of what I do feel." She said darkly. "Those vile creatures have taken everything from me." She said, shaking her head. "First my parents, and now…" She closed her eyes. "Kili." She said, pursing her lips. "I worry it will consume me…"

Galadriel stopped and turned to face Tauriel. Tauriel turned slowly to face her. Her sad green eyes rose slowly to look at The Lady of Lorien.

_You are a child of the light, my dear. And so you must remain. Love, in itself, is a priceless and pure gift, one that can never be taken from you. It will forever link you to him, in some way. Use the pleasant memories you have to soothe your wounded soul. And remember, you have made promises you must keep. Let that be the purpose that drives you to action, through these difficult times._ Galadriel's voice echoed in Tauriel's mind. Tauriel wiped her eyes and clasped her hands.

"I will do as he bade me to…but, what then?" She asked. "I have so many questions, my lady, but I have not the wherewithal to ask them now - or listen to the answers."

"If I had the answers to give you, I would. But, my dear, in time, all your questions will be answered." Galadriel said. Tauriel put her hand to her head, and rubbed her forehead. She winced. Her head hurt. Everything hurt.

"When you are ready, after you are done fulfilling promises in Ered Luin, come visit me in Lorien, Tauriel. I will help you realize your potential." Tauriel nodded.

"I will." She said softly, as they resumed their slow walk, back to the city of Dale.

"And, there you will find a home, if you desire." Galadriel said to Tauriel. Tauriel managed a small smile and a nod.

"I thank you for all your kindnesses." Tauriel said. "And will seriously consider that request."

* * *

><p>Sigrid walked around the encampment, hurriedly looking about. The tents were in various states of being broken down, the elves packing up with efficiency. She spied a tall blonde warrior, and looked on hopefully for a moment; he turned around. It was Legolas…<p>

Sigrid approached him gingerly. He was talking to several other elves and pointing, obviously coordinating efforts. He noticed her and came towards her.

"Hello Sigrid." He said questioningly, as she looked around him, a little awkwardly. She knew that the prince knew her name in association with her father. A small smile played on his lips and he put his hands together before him. "Can I help you with something?"

"Hello, um, Prince Legolas," she started, fairly sure her cheeks were a bright pink hue at that time. She straightened up and sighed. It would do no good for her to act bashful now.

"Please, just Legolas…" he interrupted. She nodded. They had just been through so much during battle, there was no need for such formalities.

"I was just looking for Tauriel. Has she gone back to Mirkwood already?" She asked. Legolas' face became serious and sad. Sigrid became worried; did she do something wrong? She did see Tauriel after the battle, she knew she was alive…

"No, and she is not going back to Mirkwood anytime soon." He said, in a low voice. He turned towards a large outcropping in the middle of the field. "She wishes to go with the dwarves back to the Blue Mountains, to fulfill a promise, she says…" he said, wistfully.

"I just wanted to speak with her…" Sigrid said, pleading. Legolas looked back at Sigrid, a sad smile on his face.

"She is up on the top of those rocks. I am afraid she is not very talkative with me right now. You may have better luck." He said, flashing her a kind look and turning to rejoin the elves with their packing. Sigrid looked at Legolas as he walked away, feeling each step he took as if her heart had a string that was being pulled out…She could not lose any more friends.

"Legolas…" she said, feeling that she might as well speak her mind. He stopped and turned to face her. His light eyes and hair were lit up by the midday sun, his fine elven armor glistening…

"Yes?" he said, a small smile on his face when she did not speak for a few seconds…

"I…I was just wondering…if you will be coming back to Dale…sometime…soon…I mean, like in my lifetime." She stammered. He smirked. "You have friends here now." She said, clearly, insistently. Legolas walked back toward her slowly and stood close, before her.

"I know." He said. "I will be back to call on you and your family soon." he said, with a grin.

With that, Sigrid scrambled up the rocks, making sure to make enough noise so Tauriel would know she was approaching.

Tauriel was up on the highest ledge, her hair hanging loosely around her head, in her forest green captain's uniform. Tauriel turned to her, and Sigrid instantly felt badly. She was the image of mourning; her face stony and sad, her eyes hollowed. Her hands were in her lap; cradled within them was a small, oval stone.

"Hello, Tauriel. I hope I am not disturbing you." Sigrid said, gingerly. Tauriel acknowledged her with a glance and a small smile, and shook her head. Sigrid sat down in front and below her, and looked out on the white, snow covered plain before her. There was so much bloodshed there but a few days ago, yet the night snowfalls had covered it all, raining down like frozen tears from heaven, and with the bodies covered, the gentle hills were struggling to return to normalcy. Sigrid looked up at Tauriel.

"I am so sorry…about Kili…" she said, knowing full well why Tauriel was this way. Tauriel's sad eyes rose to hers. Tauriel looked over the plain to the ruins of the dwarf outpost where so many had died. She pointed vaguely in the direction of Raven Hill.

"He died over there…in my arms." Tauriel said, her voice thin and hollow and filled with such grief, it hurt Sigrid to hear it. "There was nothing I or anyone else could do." Sigrid slid closer.

"Did you tell him how you felt about him…before he…" Sigrid said, swallowing the words. Tauriel looked at her with surprise, as if to ask how she knew. "It was readily apparent to me how you felt about each other…" Sigrid revealed.

"Really?" Tauriel questioned. Sigrid nodded.

"Only because I was willing to see it." Sigrid said. Tauriel looked down, her thumb stroking the smooth stone in her palm.

"Well…yes. We did get to tell each other how we felt. And to say goodbye…" Tauriel said, softly. "At times, I feel I can still hear his voice, but is just a faint echo, one that I strain to hear." Tauriel sighed. Sigrid nodded and looked up at Raven Hill.

Sigrid could no longer hold herself together…all the sadness she had tucked away deep within her poured out and she began to sob uncontrollably. Tauriel looked over at the young woman, a bit surprised, but she approached her with a gentle touch on her shoulder.

"Sigrid?" Tauriel questioned…

"I am so sorry…I…didn't know…who else to turn to…who else…would understand…" Sigrid babbled before covering her eyes as a new wave of sadness made it difficult for her to breathe. Tauriel kneeled down and put her arms around her, and held the young woman, her eyes blinking, wondering.

"My dear…" Tauriel said, her brow knit. "Why do you weep so?" Sigrid eventually regained control, and sat back on her heels as Tauriel sat before her, waiting for her to speak. Sigrid wiped at her tears. She looked into Tauriel's eyes.

"I…I was there…at the bottom of the mountain when they brought him down…I…could not believe what they had done to him…oh, what they did to him…" Sigrid's voice strained and her face grimaced. Tauriel blinked, her brows kniting…"There were so many wounds…" Sigrid continued, struggling to speak. "He… he did not deserve it…he was kind…and brave…and so sweet…" she said, collapsing into Tauriel's arms with another bout of uncontrollable tears.

Tauriel held the sobbing young woman and searched her mind…her face bloomed with shock and understanding when she realized who she spoke of. It could not be Thorin…or Kili…their bodies had only one, fatal wound.

"Fili…" Tauriel gasped, as a sad, understanding expression wore onto her face. "You speak of Fili, don't you?" she asked, quietly. The head of the woman crying before her nodded against her shoulder. Tauriel gasped and held Sigrid tighter. Fili's body bore many, many wounds, as Tauriel recalled…she only hoped most of those were made after the kind, loyal brother ceased to breathe.

"Oh, my dear. Let your tears flow." Tauriel said, stroking her hair. As Sigrid cried, she spoke to her softly. "Where Fili is now, Sigrid, there is no more pain…no more darkness. Only light, and peace." She said. "And I am sure he knows you mourn for him. I know it." Tauriel whispered.

Tauriel held Sigrid close until she was able to pause a bit. Tauriel wiped at her tears and smoothed her hair, looking at her, in sad understanding. It felt good to be there for someone else in pain. Theirs was a sad sisterhood for the brothers who had fallen…

"I…could not talk to anyone…not Da, or Bain, or Tilda." Sigrid said. "I am so sorry to burden you…for you have your own loss…"

"Do not mention it further." Tauriel said, holding her hand.

Sigrid eventually told Tauriel everything. She told Tauriel about the a sweet warmth in her interactions with the golden haired young dwarf, ever since they met in Laketown, though she lamented that they were pitifully few, and she told her of that night when they kissed beneath the bridge. Sigrid recounted the shock she felt when finding out Fili was dead, and how she was devastated upon seeing him, torn and broken.

The two women sat as the breeze whistled about them, in silent understanding. As they sat together in communion, Sigrid thought how strange it was, that individuals from such different cultures, races, could care about each other when their peoples were on the verge of war. Only the most powerful things could bridge that divide. Being a young woman, Sigrid was prone to such fancy, but, she was also a realist, and fully aware of the trials and tribulations of life. Sigrid was fairly sure; however, for those two, the elf and the dwarf, that power was love.

Tauriel felt that the seeds of love had been planted in Sigrid, and was happy that she could be there for this young woman.

"What will you do now?" Sigrid asked, after a few quiet moments.

"I have a promise to keep; to return this to his mother, as he asked me to." She smiled sadly, as she held out the rune stone for Sigrid to see. "I think Kili just wanted me to meet her." She smirked, her fingers running over the stone, tenderly. Tauriel put the little stone away in a small, ornate satchel around her waist.

"Can…can I go with you?" Sigrid asked quickly. Tauriel looked back at her, a questioning gaze.

"You want to travel to a dwarf village, halfway across middle earth?" She asked, wondering.

"I… I just …I cannot stay here…" Sigrid said, shaking her head. "I am sorry, I should not have asked..." Sigrid said, quickly.

"No, please." Tauriel said, leaning closer. "Tell me why you want to go." She urged.

Sigrid looked up at her. She was still sorry for taking Tauriel away from her mourning, but then again, maybe that was a good thing…Sigrid took a deep breath.

"Ever since I first saw you, when you came to our house and slay the Orcs, and healed Kili, and escaped with him, I was absolutely in awe; the way you fought…it showed me how weak and vulnerable I was. How unprotected my family was." Sigrid sat up. "I never wanted to feel that scared, that weak again…but I don't know how to…be more like you…" she said softly. Tauriel sat up straight, her eyebrow lifting.

"So you want me to show you?"

"Yes!" Sigrid said, urgently.

"How to fight and use a bow?" She said, "Like an elf?" she continued.

"Yes!" She said hurriedly. "That is, if you wouldn't mind…or if you could…" she said. Tauriel looked at her thoughtfully. "I know I ask too much from you…and it is such a bad time…" Sigrid continued.

"I will think about it, Sigrid." Tauriel said, softly, nodding her head.

"That is all I ask…" Sigrid said, hugging her again, before descending the rock, leaving Tauriel alone again.

Tauriel looked over the grasslands, to the spires of Erebor, and the now open entrance. Then her eyes drifted up to Raven Hill where the dwarves fought and died, kinsman till the end. She missed Kili, but knew she had to find some way to continue on. It was his wish... She sighed, trying to fill the void wedged deep within her with something else other than the distinct, constant pain of loss. Tauriel pursed her lips.

To mentor a young woman may just be a good idea.

* * *

><p>The days wore on and Dale and Erebor were well on their way towards normalcy. Dain was declared the new King Under the Mountain; as befitting a dwarf as any to take the reign from the house of Thrain and Thorin, a great leader in his own right now filling the seat of the King of Dwarves. He made quick work of cleaning and repairing the great city of Erebor, and repairing relations with the Elf King and the men of Dale, by doling out the gold, and the jewels requested as reparations to his new allies. The sickness of gold did not seem to be able to sink through Dain's thick hide.<p>

But there were some dwarves not quite ready to be in Erebor without the leader of their company, his loss and the loss of his nephews leaving holes in their hearts. Their hearts only filled with sadness upon the thought of simply staying in the great mountain city. And, for others of the company, there were loved ones awaiting their return. And then there was the unenviable task of telling the last known survivor of the House of Durin, Dis, what had befallen her loved ones.

Dwalin, Balin, Bofur and Gloin all agreed to set out as soon as possible, back to Erid Luin, to inform Dis themselves of the devastating news before she caught word of it any other way. They would travel for some time with Gandalf and Bilbo. The hobbit was wallowing in homesickness with a heavy heart, yearning for Bag End fiercely now, his spirit tired and worn with all that had transpired. The loss of his friend, Thorin, had injured him deeply, but they did share a quiet moment of reconciliation before Thorin drew his last breath. It was Thorin's last request.

Reluctant at first, the dwarves finally agreed to have Tauriel and Sigrid join them. Tauriel confided in Dwalin, the most fervent against her, and told him of Kili's request and her promise to him. From that moment, the old warrior dwarf saw it as a matter of dwarrow pride and honor, to aid another in fulfilling the wishes of a fallen soldier, his beloved young kinsman. He became her most ardent supporter.

It took slightly more convincing and a world of promises and reassurances before Bard would agree to Sigrid going on her own personal quest away from home. He eventually agreed to her traveling only partway, to Rivendell, and from there, she promised she would return with a contingent of elves and supplies that Gandalf assured Bard that Lord Elrond would provide for her passage, with his intersession.

Thranduil and company planned on leaving Dale immediately, quietly, after the coronation of Dain, which was a muted affair, in light of the circumstances. Tauriel was staying with Bard and his family, and she only caught wind of it as she saw the elves marching away in the distance one morning. Tauriel gasped and ran up to the King's quarters in the shattered dome only to find it emptied. Tauriel gasped, her shoulders falling in disappointment. She so wanted to see them, the leaders of her people, her kin before she went on her own journey. She stared out over the quiet plain before Erebor with a new weight of disappointment adding to the sadness upon her. She walked away slowly, head held down.

"Tauriel." A stern, deep voice said, right behind her. She froze and turned around slowly. Her eyes rose to meet the grey gaze of the King of the Mirkwood, in all his glory before her. "I was looking for you." Tauriel sucked in a breath, struggling to hold herself together; but his eyes bore into her, but not with vengeance or anger. It was a look of understanding.

"My lord Thranduil." She said, breathlessly, a small smile on her face, with relief. They gazed at each other for a few moments. "I…thought you had already gone."

"Not before a word with you." He said. "I hear you will be traveling with some dwarves to the Blue Mountains…" Thranduil said, walking up to her slowy. Tauriel nodded urgently.

"Aye. That is true." She sighed.

"Why do you journey across Arda to a place you will not be welcome?" He asked, his voice low, his face set in wonder.

"I…have a promise to keep." She uttered quietly, her voice small and low.

Thranduil blinked and nodded. Again the quiet silence filled the air. Tauriel felt both comfort at being in her kings presence, and surprise at that he would actually stop and speak to an exile. He glanced at her and pursed his lips, walking to the edge of the stone balcony. Tauriel followed. She stared at her king as he looked up at the ruins of Raven Hill, a sad, forlorn look on his face. Tauriel sucked in a breath; she had never seen her king like this. He sighed and looked down, turning to her.

"Seeing you…with the dwarf, up there..." Thranduil said slowly, his voice filled with emotion, his brows furrowing as if in pain. "Reminded me…of terrible times … times I tried so hard to forget. Emotions…I thought were buried so deep as to never be resurrected." Tauriel gasped, holding back a sob, knees weak with disbelief at what she was hearing.

"I…I'm so sorry…" she started. Thranduil's grey eyes locked on to hers quickly.

"I want to thank you, Tauriel..." He said, cutting her off abruptly. Tauriel held her tongue. His face reverted to a peaceful expression. Tauriel could only nod, her voice failing her. "Just remember who you are…Tauriel of the Woodland Realm." Thranduil said. Tauriel blinked at him a few times as he gave the subtle, sweeping hand gesture that meant 'safe and sure travels.' Tauriel returned it with the gesture of acceptance and thanks. Thranduil waved back his vestments, walking past her on the way to the exit. Tauriel looked on as Thranduil strode away, her mouth dropping open in shock. But wait…

"My lord…" she said. Thranduil paused for a moment, at the top of the stairs, his head turned to her. "Please…tell Legolas…I said goodbye…" She continued.

"You may tell him yourself." He said, continuing on his way. Tauriel shook her head, wondering what he meant, and then she heard a few soft, distinctive steps. She steeled herself and turned around.

"Legolas…" she whispered. Legolas strolled over to her slowly, his eyes soft upon her, yet his face serious. Tauriel gasped, covering her mouth.

"You didn't think I would leave without saying goodbye, did you?" He said. Tauriel bit her lip, but she could not stop the tears from forming. She took in a deep, shaky breath.

"I…was hoping not…but…" she gasped, shaking her head. "I…I don't know if I can bear it…" He came up close to her and put his solid, heavy hand lightly on her shoulder.

"Bear what?" He asked, concern on his fair face.

"To lose you too…" She confessed. Legolas pulled her in and held her close, his arms surrounding her. Tauriel closed her eyes and held on to him tightly, letting her tears fall. She breathed him in; the scent of pine and earth and sun…

"You can never lose me, Tauriel." She heard him say. "I will be with you every time you climb the trees…" he added, with a slight laugh. Tauriel smiled, even through her tears. They separated, and she wiped them away.

"My spirit is so low, I fear I many never again enjoy the trees…" Tauriel lamented. Legolas looked at her with sadness in his eyes.

"You will, one day." He said, and then he looked down. "You know Kili would want you to." He added, a bit of hurt in his expression. Tauriel pursed her lips. Her chest hurt. She took hold of his hand and held it tightly.

"I will always remember everything you taught me." She said shakily, holding his hand. Legolas smiled and put his finger under her chin. She dared to look up, back into his sky blue eyes.

"Never forget…that I will always be your friend."

* * *

><p>It was a cold, bright day when they set out on their trip to the Blue Mountains; four dwarves, an elf, a young woman, a hobbit, and a wizard; a tired and motley bunch. They rode in a long line, not too closely, the women alongside each other on horseback.<p>

"So…what was it you saw in him?" Sigrid asked, turning to the quiet, red haired elf besides her. Tauriel smiled sadly, letting the slow cantor of the horse move her side to side a bit, as she thought further on the question.

"Oh…I don't know what it was exactly. But he caught my eye at first glance..." Tauriel said, images of Kili filling her head. "He seemed quite tall for a dwarf." Tauriel whispered softly, voice full of memory.

"Hmm. I have to agree with you on that…but was that all?" Sigrid asked.

"Well…he was also a bit reckless." Tauriel said, with a mild smirk.

"I thought it would be more than that…"Sigrid pursed her lips and rolled her eyes, in feigned disbelief. Tauriel smiled at the young woman's response. Tauriel turned around and gazed back at the stone spires of Dale, the square buttresses of Erebor, and finally upon the foggy, crumbling ruins of the fort at Raven Hill. She looked forward, the memories of their days together filling her mind.

"But, what I really love about Kili was…how he made me feel." Tauriel sighed. "Alive."


	39. Chapter 39

**Author's Note:**

**The last three chapters were difficult ones, hard for me to write and even harder to post, but ones that needed be told to move onward.****We are now officially in the Beyond BOFA era of our story. **

**This work turned out to be longer and more detailed than I ever imagined it would be, and it is all thanks to the sincere and constant encouragement of those who reviewed, commented, and messaged me. ****At times it has been a struggle, to stay the course, maintain my vision and to keep this fanfic the best quality I can manage to deliver, but you inspire me onward.**

**HUGE Hugs to all those who read and continue to follow LMTF; I will try my damdest to make it worth your while:****Haku's Lover, CodexDragoness, jogregor, amber85, Tuonra, kasmira36, AmyGoddess, margaritasc, jubjub0250, andante, butterbum, syeern, mfaerie32, Reivin, touched by grace, Celebrisilweth, Nenithiel, Forever jelly, Karamelkat, Admiral J Jirk McGill**

**This section is dedicated to the memory of Sir Christopher Lee.**

**Hope you enjoy.**

**AW**

* * *

><p><span>OF LIGHT AND SHADOW<span>

PRELUDE:

The war at the Lonely Mountain was eventually called the Battle of the Five Armies, for the forces of Man, Elves, Dwarves, and Eagles battled with a huge force of Orcs, but the casualties numerous, the suffering great. For a while afterward, it was a time of quiet; the days on Middle Earth ran into seasons, which ran into years, then decades. Life progressed as it should for the peoples of Middle Earth. Yet there were some who were well aware that not all was well as it seemed. Gandalf and the wise ones knew that the evil that had shown itself again, once upon a mountain in Dol Guldor, had grown stronger. Sauron declared himself, and took up residence in the south and in the heart of a powerful wizard. The One Ring had been found, and it called out to its master in the darkness. Middle Earth was in peril once again.

The Valar, eventually, took notice.

* * *

><p>Tauriel ran the rest of the way up the gently sloping hill, her long red hair flowing behind her in the breeze, anticipation making her breathe heavily. The top of the hill was a wide, grassy outcropping. She paused, once she reached there, her jaw dropping and her eyes taking it all in.<p>

"By Valinor…I don't believe it…" Tauriel whispered, as she surveyed it… "Mirkwood." She breathed. She stood completely still, dumfounded, staring.

Over seventy years had passed, since Tauriel last set foot upon this part of Middle Earth, and gazed upon this land, and the differences were astounding. Her timeless elven features had changed little; entwined over her fire red hair was a latticework of braids to keep it bound neatly, sparsely decorated with pearls. She was wearing her signature green tunic above dark leggings, but her vestment was long, and flowed almost down to her feet, high slits in the skirt to offer freedom of movement. She wore thigh high brown boots, her knives, and bow in a leather harness on her back much as she always did. When again she found her voice, she spoke urgently.

"Eleiyon, come see it…" she said, looking behind her, her tone halfway between surprise and joy.

Already halfway up the hill, the dark haired young man accompanying her quickened his pace.

"We have traveled for so many moons, it better be worth it all…" Eleiyon said, a bit of excitement escaping, his voice a warm, low, textured tone.

Eleiyon's skin was fair, yet a little ruddy from the sun, his hair a dark, rich reddish brown, slightly wavy and wayward, long and thick, and it wafted around his head and shoulders in the steady wind. Dark, sculpted brows arched over his jade green, expressive eyes, brilliant and sparkling as they rose to look towards Tauriel. Eleiyon had a long, straight nose, high cheekbones, a strong, angular chin, and a wide, teasing mouth that now sported a bright smile that begged to be mirrored. A shadow of sparse, dark hair adorned his jawline and upper lip. A gust of wind over the rise briefly revealed the delicatetly pointed ears hiding in between his dark locks.

Eleiyon moved with the fluid elegance of an elf, yet he had more brawn and muscle than was usually seen on the children of Iluvatar. He was slight of build from the waist down, but the outlines of his strong, muscular legs, arms and wide chest was visible beneath his brown jacket, close fitting britches and high boots. From his back hung a forest green hooded cape. He had a white shirt beneath it all, slightly open, revealing a heavy silver chain around his neck, the pendant an iridescent rock beneath it, nested in a silver setting, dwarfish runes carved on its front. A dwarfish long sword hung on his back, and an artistically carved elven bow was slung over his shoulder.

He arrived beside Tauriel at the top of the hill, and he stood bedside her, his head coming to rest just below hers in height. He nodded towards the sight, breathing heavily, and gazed down across the meadow to a forest, dark and green and thick, bursting with the colors of late summer flowers, trees sprinkled with the tawny shades of the leaves hinting at the change of early autumn. He knit his brows and tilted his head…

"Are you sure this is it?" He said, with a low, deep voice. He looked at Tauriel. "It is nothing you have led me to believe Mirkwood would look like…"

"I am certain. See…over there. There is the entrance to the elven road." She said, pointing to the Elven Gate of the Woodland Realm. "It does not seem fitting to call it Mirkwood anymore." She said softly, mostly to herself. "It looks like the Greenwood of my childhood days." she said, softly. Eleiyon looked straight towards the forest again.

"It is beautiful, not at all dark and infested like you said." He remarked. "I gather much has changed in so many springtimes." He said, as she turned to him, a smile on her face.

"Yes, yes it has changed, and for the better." She said, touching his arm. "_And you will remember to speak Sindarian?"_ she asked, in her gentle elvish language.

"_But of course, I knew I would need it. We have spoken it for the entire trip." _He said, his green eyes lighting up.

"_You will need to talk in Sindarian here. And you will need to be on guard. They are not expecting us."_

_"__I, they will not expect. But, surely, you, they will remember." _He said, resting his hand on her shoulder, a heavy dwarf ring adorning his finger. Tauriel smirked.

"It has been so long; I can only hope I will be welcome here again..." She said. Tauriel's eyes rose up to the dark shadow of the tall singular mount visible in the hazy distance. "And there it is…" she said, a somberness washing over her features, her eyes widening, blinking slowly. Eleiyon followed her gaze. His features too became pensive.

"So…there it is. The Lonely Mountain…" He said, his low voice a quiet rumble.

"The very one." Tauriel said, memories of man, elves, dwarves, and eagles fighting with orks, goblins, and wargs running through her brain. Her hand covered her mouth as a sad sigh escaped her lips. Eleiyon pursed his lips.

"Within it lies Erebor…" He said, his hand rubbing her shoulder gently, "And the warriors of the House of Durin." He whispered, looking over at Tauriel's face with tenderness. She raised her hand to hold on to his. Eleiyon could feel her tremble.

"Are you certain that you want to go there?" he queried, in a soft, caring tone.

"Yes." She said softly. Tauriel looked his way. "I will be fine, Eleiyon." Tauriel assured him, glanced down to the pendant lying over his heart, as he sighed and walked rearward.

"Well, we are not approaching it any faster by just staring at it." He said, a serious look on his face. He reached down and picked up the two supply packs that were lying midway down the slope. Tauriel looked back, a pleasant smile on her face as watched Eleiyon walk back up the hill. As he arrived on the top, she put her hands out to take her pack. He smirked at her and continued on forward.

"I have them." He said. She shook her head and followed him.

Within several minutes they entered the elven gate. Tauriel looked up, spinning, breathing in the perfume of the wood, the look of wonder and joy gracing her sharp elven features. Eleiyon smirked and adjusted their packs on his back, just content to watch Tauriel in all her glory. She touched the trees tenderly and ran her fingers lightly over the leaves. In a swift move she ran and jumped up, climbing into the nearest tree with unbridled energy. She leaped forward, from tree to tree over the elven path, a giddy giggle coming over her as she swung on a vine. She alighted on a branch and looked back at Eleiyon, who was walking slowly forward along the paved, littered road, taking in the forest in his own way. He looked up at Tauriel, who was smiling widely in the trees. He mirrored the smile.

"You are in your element, aren't you?" Eleiyon said. She nodded.

"But of course. I am a Silvan elf, am I not?" She continued to leap and swing from branch to branch alongside the path. Eleiyon had to jog a bit to keep up. "I bet I can beat you there…" She taunted.

"Well, that's just not fair…you know the way!" He complained.

"All you need do is follow the road." She shouted back, through the trees. "Or you can follow me…"

"I think I will keep my feet firmly on Middle Earth…Thank you…" He replied, looking down and running along the path.

"Don't you worry. I will remain near." She said, swinging by him. He beamed as he jumped out of the way.

"You always do." He replied.

They made their way deeper into the forest, and were traveling together for quite a while. Little by little, Tauriel let some space form between her and Eleiyon. She knew he was more than capable to deal with anything in the forest here. Tauriel continued in the trees, gasping at the things remembered. Nowhere could she find the sticky webs, the awful monsters, the impending dark heaviness. It was like a forest reborn. She smiled widely. Thranduil must be very, very pleased.

Tauriel searched for a while for the spot…but could not find it, now that the forest had grown over, and hidden most of the landmarks she remembered. Then she saw it; a fallen tree, flanked by two tall ones, their boughs laden with vines. She could not be definite if it was indeed the place they met, but it was familiar enough for the memories to flow quite readily. A small tree now rose from the clearing, and she walked around it, their first words together echoing in her ears.

"_Quick…throw me a dagger!_" Kili had said, urgently, as a spider was attacking him.

"_If you think I am giving you a weapon, dwarf, you are mistaken!_" She had shouted back, as she slay his attacker with ease.

When their eyes had met, she froze, for a second. This was not at all what she expected dwarves to be like. And his expression was just as shocked and taken with her as she was with him. Tauriel sighed deeply. Little did she know what would come to pass…

Tauriel heard a yell and a rustling, deep in the forest nearby. She jumped into the trees and looked around, not seeing Eleiyon, all her senses sharpening with alarm. The murmuring of muffled angry voices signaled some disruption. She rushed towards it.

* * *

><p>Eleiyon had been taking a slow run through the forest, looking this way and that when not searching for the stone elven path, which sometimes was almost obscured by undergrowth and leaf litter. He suddenly heard something out of place; the twang of a bow being stretched.<p>

"_A warning shot." _ Eleiyon heard a whisper, one he knew was not meant for his ears. But Eleiyon had exceptionally sensitive hearing.

He stopped short and looked around him, slipping his packs to the ground, his hand instinctively going for his sword. He heard the whistling of an arrow flying towards him…one not aimed at him. With unreal speed he fluidly moved aside and spun around, plucking the arrow out of the air. He completed his spin and had his sword in hand pointing to the bush ahead of him, and he advanced quickly towards it, much to the dismay of the elf hiding within. He waved some branches of the bush aside swiftly, only to look into the shocked blue eyes of a female soldier elf, his sword at the level of an empty bow. His face, once scowling and fierce, changed to surprise, as did the eyes of the elf soldier.

"Huh…" he grunted.

In several seconds he found himself surrounded by other elf soldiers, bows drawn, walking up to him slowly. Many were wearing helmets that made them look menacing.

"Drop your weapon…" said the soldier elf to his left. Eleiyon looked his way slyly, a slight smirk on his face.

"Well, that's just not fair…" he said, bringing the sword down slowly, hands outstretched besides him. "You seem to have me at a great disadvantage." Eleiyon said, but he waved his hand rapidly, about eye level as he murmured an incantation…

The arrows in all the elves bows turned into slim green snakes that writhed out of their surprised bowman's hands, producing a quick wave of confusion, many of them dropping their bows, many reaching for their swords. Eleiyon now held his sword before him, in a defensive stance. The elf guard nearest him, the one apparently in command, unsheathed his sword, doing the same stance.

"What was that sorcery?" the elf soldier barked. The snakes turned back to arrows…

"_Simply to even the odds. Now, that's a little better…Please… I do not wish to fight you._" Eleiyon said in Sindarian, his green eyes piercing. But the moment was interrupted by a whoosh of red and green from the treetops…

"_Stop! All of you!" _Tauriel barked in Sindarian, dropping in between the elf soldier and Eleiyon. Her twin knives were drawn and ready. "_He is with me…"_

She glared menacingly around, her gaze resting on the soldier before her. None of the elves moved.

"Tauriel!" The soldier said, in a shocked voice and he stepped back. He took off his helmet, revealing a pleasant faced, green eyed, blonde headed elf who stared wide eyed at her. "Captain…" he said, in deference. Tauriel's menacing glare softened as recognition permeated her face. Several murmurs, whispers spread through the elves.

"Oreyon…" she said, relaxing and putting away her weapons. Eleiyon did the same, behind her. Oreyon blinked at her, a pleased expression on his face.

"_Tauriel…we thought you dead once you did not return from the Blue Mountains._" He said, striding up to her and offering his hand. "But here you are. You look well." Tauriel reached forward and clamped her arm with his, in a sign of greeting.

"I am very much alive." She said, smiling. "But I do regret I sent no word all these years. I have been rather…preoccupied." She said, as she looked about. "But I don't believe my eyes; what a change I see here in Mirkwood…"

"Yes; the darkness has retreated. The woods have regained their former beauty." Oreyon said. "Life has returned to normalcy these last few decades." He said, then he nodded at her. "But the wood sees the return of one of its greatest Captains, this day." He said, beaming at her. She looked down and smiled. He came closer to her. "Thranduil will be pleased to see you." He whispered. Tauriel's eyes lit up, but she blinked it away.

"And what of the King, and the Prince?" she asked, quietly letting the look of hope soften her face.

"The King lingers silently in the halls, quiet and to himself as always. Prince Legolas has been traveling quite a lot lately; most recently, he went to Rivendel some time ago for a meeting with the White Council, a summit with Lord Elrond and the leaders of Man, and he has not returned as yet."

Tauriel nodded in understanding, but Eleiyon noticed the slight drooping of her shoulders. He knew Tauriel was looking forward to seeing her friend Legolas again. He discretely ran his hand over his hair, checking to make sure the thick locks were in place. Oreyon looked behind Tauriel, right at him.

"And who is your companion?" Oreyon asked, referring to the stocky young man standing behind her. Tauriel looked around at Eleiyon, a knowing, slightly irritated expression on her face. Eleiyon shrugged his shoulders.

"This is Eleiyon." She said…Eleiyon nodded in greeting at Oreyon, who eyed him suspiciously, yet returned the gracious salutation. She looked back at Oreyon. "And I take it you have seen some of what he can do…" Tauriel had asked him to refrain from magic, to hide his abilities for now…yet she was sure he had not. Oreyon knit his brows and tilted his head.

"Magic?" he asked. "Of the lighter kind, I hope?"

"Yes." She said quietly. "He is ...the apprentice of a wizard." she acknowledged. "And a bit too quick with his spells. Magic is not appreciated by everyone." Tauriel continued, as she looked back at Eleiyon with warning. Eleiyon pursed his lips and grunted, a bit displeased at the rebuke.

Eleiyon looked around, as all the elves approached Tauriel, greeting her warmly, and they acknowledged him politely. Some looked at him with a bit of distrust, some with a little bit of wonder in their eyes. They were trying to figure him out, that he knew. Who was this man, and why was he traveling with their former captain, an elf?

He was quite used to it by now. Yet Eleiyon was in awe of finally being around the wood elves; he had heard so much about them, these woods, the fortress, and their King. They all eventually moved along the path as a group, Tauriel and Oreyon in the lead, chatting all the while.

"Excuse me." A small voice said to his right. He looked over. The voice came from a plucky female elf, striding past Eleiyon, her hair dark, long and thick, controlled by braids, her skin white, her eyes light like a pale summer sky. It was the elf he had his sword trained on back in the woods.

"That was you hiding in the bush before." He said, smiling. "I hope I did not startle you…" She turned to him. Her face was stony.

"Yes it was I." She said, seemingly a bit miffed. "And yes you did."

"I am Eleiyon." He said, a hand on his chest.

"I know. I am Tahira." she said, walking ahead. Eleiyon sped up his gait to match her stride.

"Tahira, I'm sorry about…back there." He apologized. She looked at him warily.

"How did you know I was there?" She asked. Eleiyon guffawed. She looked at him crossly. "I just want to know what I did wrong so it will not happen again."

"There is naught much different you could do. I have very sharp hearing. I heard you draw your bow, and from whence it came." He said. Tahira widened her eyes. "I doubt many of your foes would have heard that." She grunted in understanding, looking at him with knit brows.

"How did you change the arrows to snakes then back again so quickly?"

"I did not. I simply made it seem as if I did. First rule of wizardry; confabulation is much easier than transconfigiration." Eleiyon said, with a sparkle in his eye and a coy smile, one corner of his mouth raised.

* * *

><p>"Yes, all does look well in the Rhealm but unfortunately, the forces of darkness do not remain quiet for long." Thranduil said, walking around Tauriel. Tauriel nodded as he continued. "Far south, there is a growing menace, one we have known in the past, but now he holds a power we ancients had the displeasure of seeing before, but the peoples of this age have yet to witness the likes of." He bent his head. "But…This is the age of man. Alas, elves are leaving this land by droves to go east across the waters; leaving Middle earth in the hands of those who have followed us."<p>

"Will this era be marked by war again?" Tauriel asked, a sadness in her eyes.

"I fear there will be a war unlike what we have yet seen, for the very soul of Middle Earth and all its peoples." Thranduil said. He walked around and looked down. "Legolas needed little urging to go to Rivendel, heeding the calling of the White council. I was recently informed he is now part of a fellowship on a quest to destroy this terrible power." He said. Tauriel pursed her lips and clasped her hands.

"Perhaps I may see him on his return…"

"When and if he returns." Thranduil said, turning to her. "He was quite…upset…you did not return from your journey." He said. "He was never again comfortable here, after the battle at the Lonely mountain. " he said. Tauriel turned around, her eyes saddened. "With you not here…"

"I missed him as well." She admitted. Thranduil harrumphed and walked slowly to the edge of the ledge that made up his throne room.

"There is more of your companion than meets the eyes." Thranduil said, sheepishly. "He confounds me. And that is not easy to do." He continued, looking back at Tauriel. She nodded.

"Yes, there is." She said coyly. "He confounds you because he is… of mixed blood."

"The strangeness is more than just his mixed blood. He is familiar to me yet we have not met before." Thranduil said, his head turning gracefully. Tauriel strolled over to the edge, looking after Eleiyon.

"Yes, my Lord. " Tauriel said, a gentle smile on her face. This puzzled Thranduil.

"I trust you would not knowingly bring danger into these halls, Tauriel. But I sensed his presence entering into the wood and was concerned, which is why I sent Oreyon and the rest of the guard." Thranduil strode to the edge of his room, looking down upon the walkways at the dark haired guest who now was being guided along. "What is it I felt and why?" He insisted.

"Eleiyon is very special, my lord." She turned to face him.

"How well do you know your companion?" He asked. Something about the young man was very strange… Thranduil was now standing next to Tauriel.

"I know him very well. You see… Eleiyon… he is my son." She said, her eyes solidly pinned on the now widened eyes of her king. A range of emotions flowed over Thranduil.

"And…what of his sire?" he asked, in a low voice, turning his face back to her. She grew quiet, leaving the edge. Thranduil followed her with his eyes alone.

"You know him." She said, glancing back. Thranduil's one eyebrow rose up. "His father, for many years, lies in eternal repose, next to his beloved uncle and King. In Erebor." She confessed, taking a few moments to say it.

"The dwarf prince." he said, as if knowing it all along.

"Yes. His father is Kili." She said. "The young dwarf I saved from death by the Morgul wound. The one who died in my arms…" She said, as she wrapped her arms around herself tightly, unable to hide her emotion for a moment.

Thranduil seemed to understand, and looked away, a somber expression gracing his face, allowing Tauriel the time to recover. He turned to look at Eleiyon with renewed interest…yes he saw it now; he had Tauriel's eyes, her stance…yet he had a more muscular build and stood a bit lower than the elves surrounding him. And there was his wisp of a beard, and his wavy, thick hair...Thranduil nodded.

"Now, that is interesting..." Thranduil murmured.

"Yes, that he is. More than you know..." Tauriel warned.

* * *

><p><em>YOU ARE BUSY AGAIN, AULE.<em>

_ WHERE I SEE THERE IS NEED, I WILL PROVIDE, MANWE._

_ YOU SEEK REPARATIONS FOR A PRIOR WRONG_

_ IN MY NAME, HE DESCENDED INTO THE DARKNESS, AND BETRAYED US ALL, VARDA._

_WITH FREE WILL THERE IS ALWAYS SUCH PERIL_

_ IT WAS NOT A FAULT OF YOURS MAIRON STRAYED TO THE DARK LORD, TO BECOME SAURON, AULE_

_ I STILL FEEL I MUST TRY TO FIX IT_

_ YOU SEEK TO RIGHT IT AS A SMITH WOULD._

_ IT IS THE ONLY WAY I KNOW._

_BUT WHY FORGE IN THIS WAY?_

_ A MAIAR HEWN OF THE PEOPLES OF MIDDLE EARTH WILL NOT BETRAY THEM_

_ YES, BUT WHY THE OTHERS?_

_ GREAT THINGS ARE SELDOM ACCOMPLISHED BY ONE ALONE_

_WHAT PREVENTS THE SAME COURSE OF EVENTS FROM HAPPENING? _

_ VAIRE SAYS THEIR THREADS ARE BOUND TIGHTLY IN THE TAPESTRY OF TIME, BY A FORCE FAR GREATER THAN EVIL_

_ THE TIME GROWS SHORT, WHAT HAVE WE TO LOSE?_

_EVERYTHING._

* * *

><p><em>Wh…Where am I?...Is anyone…anything… here?... <em>

_PEACE, YOUNG ONE_

_Who…what… are you? _

_YOU MUST BE PATIENT, MY CHILD_

_What for? Why…do I wait?... _

_IT IS NOT YET TIME _

_Time? … For what? _

_YOU WILL FIND OUT THEN_

_Why can't I remember…anything?... _

_YOU WILL REMEMBER ALL, SOON_

_What is this place? … Why is it so dark?...Why is it so silent?…_

_IT IS THE VOID BETWEEN WORLDS _

_Why is this happening?... _

_IT IS YOUR FATE _

_But...Why am I here?..._

_REST, CHILD OF THE SHADOW, REST_

* * *

><p><em>HE AWAKENS.<em>

_YES, THAT HE DOES._

_SOMETHING HAS STIRED HIM._

_ HE CAN FEEL HER APPROACHING._

_ REMARKABLE; BUT DANGEROUS_

_ NO, HE IS READY NOW_

_HE IS…INQUISITIVE_

_THAT HE IS._

_HIS SPIRIT IS RESILIENT_

_IT IS AS HE WAS CREATED._

_BUT STUBBORN IS HIS SOUL_

_POWERFUL IS HIS WILL, YES _

_YET PURE IS HIS HEART_

_THEY WILL NEED SUCH STRENGTH_

_THEY ARE THE LAST HOPE, SHOULD THE OTHERS FAIL_

_ IF THEY ALL FAIL, ALL IS LOST _

_THEN THEY CAN NOT FAIL_

_THEY MUST DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE_

_THEY WILL BE STRONGER TOGETHER, AS ONE._

_IF IT MUST, SO BE IT_

_ THE OTHERS CANNOT KNOW ABOUT THEM_

_IT IS MORE PRUDENT THAT WAY, YES_

_VERY WELL. WHEN IT IS TIME, SO LET IT BEGIN _

_THERE WILL BE NO REGRETS_

_MAY GRACE LIGHT THEIR WAY, __HOWEVER DIFFICULT IT WILL BECOME_

_THAT, I AM SURE IT WILL._


	40. Chapter 40

**Author's Note**

**Hi all, hope you like this segment of our story so far. The journey will continue.**

**Thanks for continuing along with me: codexdragoness, jampaqd, margaritasc, jubjub-0250,, goddesalexandria, amygoddess, kasmira36, tuonra, foreverjelly, amber85, nenithiel, mfaerie32, haku'slover18, Anotherdamnmexican, Darkrose Maria, maricejayo, koko81, **

**AW**

* * *

><p>Tauriel knew she was subject to the Mirkwood King's disposition after she broke the news to him, but he just stayed quiet for some time; she just had to be patient. She looked on as Thranduil walked around in silence for several minutes, surveying her son, each second feeling like an age. She stood in silence herself, waiting patiently for her King to continue his questioning. What questions would he ask that she had not asked herself, or thought about extensively? Why was she here, in the kingdom that she was once exiled from, and why did she feel compelled to return to the place where her lover's body lay? She had her reasons…some of them even Eleiyon did not know.<p>

Being in the forest, and in the fortress was more difficult for her than she imagined; she had hoped seeing Legolas again would bring different memories to mind. Her history with Legolas; her connection with him, that was innate. Memories of Legolas flowed through her like her own blood. Maybe it was Kili's suggestion, no, his demand, that she move on and at least try to find love again was what frequently brought Legolas to mind at first. He seemed the logical choice, but as the years wore on, her thoughts of Legolas were of brotherly love, her feelings for him the warm comfort of a close friend more than anything else. Kili's selfless wish that Tauriel not go through the rest of her long life alone, she realized, was the utmost expression of his love, and Tauriel took it as that. However, Kili when alive had no idea about the ultimate precious gift of love he himself gave to Tauriel: Eleiyon, who made a good part of these last tumultuous years full of joy and wonder.

The familiar places and sights and sounds now surrounding her in the Woodland Realm were not only reminding her of her younger days, but also the short, yet sweet times Kili and she spent together. Her love affair with Kili was as intense and deep as it was brief…cut off from fruition by the tragedy of battle. How she missed the manifestations of that love; their time together was warm and intimate emotionally and deeply passionate physically. Her body still remembered what it was like to be with him. Time, different cultures, old quarrels, the differences in their heights, even the fact that they were different races ceased to matter when they were together. Only with Kili did she feel she was truly free.

When Tauriel thought about and talked about Kili, though, the more his absence from her life hurt. It surprised her how much it could hurt now, even thought so many years had passed. To this day, she could not remember the first few, excruciating days after the battle without deep sorrow, when the Heirs of Durin were laid to rest in the tombs below the mountain as was their dwarrow custom. She had felt she nearly died herself, that day. Yet the memory of his love sustained her on many occasions. She knew she had to go on, for him, and his son, even when her will faltered.

But, even after so many years, Tauriel still heard the echoes of Kili's voice in her head…shadows of the strange, inexplicable manifestation of their strong, passionate connection. On this trip the subtle whispers were getting almost imperceptibly stronger, the closer they got to Erebor. But they were intelligible words, a mere shadow of the rich, deep timbre of Kili's voice as when he spoke gently into her ear, when they were close together, and she would let her eyes flutter closed. Was Kili calling her? Was his spirit in some kind of distress? She had learned much about such things during her stay in the Blue Mountains. Being able to seemingly change arrows to snakes was not the only manifestation of the gifts her unique child had been given…

Tauriel allowed her mind to wander away from the present in the elven halls. She sighed as she remembered the long, arduous journey to the Blue Mountains.

* * *

><p>Upon embarking from Erebor, the party had travelled through the forest and over the mountains, on horseback when possible, across the lowlands of the north, taking the greater part of a year to do so.<p>

It took all the dwarves some time to get used to the fact that two women were in their midst. Gandalf explained it to her; theirs was a society where there were half as many women as there were men, and the women usually did not venture far from the hearth, that is, until they were all forced to wander after being evicted from the mountain by Smaug. After a while, they began to act like their normal selves; brash, loud, and playful, with questionable manners, as usual. Tauriel felt a special comfort with the relatively quiet, introspective hobbit, and she learned much about mysticism and wizardry from the grey bearded maiar.

Sigrid spent much time with Tauriel when not traveling, sparing with her during the day, talking with her about sword and knives, and training her with the bow. Sigrid was focused, spending as much time as she could learning how to fight. Dwalin eventually took interest and joined in the young woman's tutelage, much to everyone's surprise. When she was not training, Sigrid often stayed around Bofur, amused by his stories and fascinated by how he made toys. But they all settled in together, during the quiet nights. Frequently, they sat listening to the dwarves play music and sing, but the songs were often of melancholy, war and loss. Those were both comforting and distressing to Tauriel.

It took a good many weeks before Tauriel no longer withdrew by herself in the trees nightly to weep silently when the sorrow was too much to bear without release; when the stars shone, or when the moon was full and memories ran rampant. How such a few short days with a dwarf could affect her long life so profoundly, she did not know. She was in shock as much as she was distraught.

It was one of these nights that Tauriel realized the slight growing fullness of her belly held a secret treasure. She felt the quickening…I was indeed a child's feather light movements within her. She immediately went to Gandalf, shocked and worried, who comforted her as best he could, but he knew little of these matters. She told Sigrid, and found a breadth of knowledge in the young girl who had witnessed her mother bear her two younger siblings. The presence of Sigrid on the journey was a godsend; she was Tauriel's confidante and her greatest support.

Several months into her pregnancy, she was no longer able to keep it a secret from any around her. Gandalf was able to convince Bilbo that the father of Tauriel's child was an elf who died in battle. Initially, she let the dwarves also think that. But Bofur was always incredulous, and the curious dwarf finally confronted her.

One night, he and Tauriel were sitting around the fire, alone. Bofur always had a helpful, friendly, jovial way about him, but recently, it was colored with grave concern. The rest of the company was sleeping beneath the trees nearby. He finally spoke up, frustration evident in his tone.

"You know, we could take that little trinket home to Dis for you…" Bofur started. "You shouldn't be traveling so hard in the state you are in…" Tauriel looked up at the dwarf.

"As I told you, I made a promise. I gave my word to Kili that I would be the one to put it in her hand." Tauriel insisted. Bofur groaned.

"You travel well now, but what happens when you get further along? We won't know what to do with a sick elf…" Bofur explained.

"I am with child, not sick. We don't get sick. I can carry on quite well, thank you. This is a normal, natural part of the life of an elf." Tauriel insisted.

But she had other reasons for her avoidance of Rivendel. Tauriel did not want to go there, for she knew what questions would be asked, and she did not know what the elves would think of this child of mixed blood. She did not know what the dwarves would, either, but she felt it best to continue on to Ered Luin, because she hoped dwarves would not realize it if her child looked a bit different from other elves...

"I have already told you. If you do not want to accompany me, I will go on by myself." She insisted, folding her arms above her swollen belly. Bofur sat back, an expression of dismay on his face.

"Lass, I would not be able to sleep a wink at night, knowing you were in the wilds traveling alone…by all the gods, I would never forgive myself." He gasped. Tauriel glanced at him sidelong.

"Then, what is it?" She questioned, in a softer voice, one she hoped would get the dwarf to talk. "Do you boys not like my company?" she asked.

"It is not that we don't like your company…I never thought I would, but I actually like traveling with an elf. It is just that… I am afraid for the little one. And for you. What if something goes wrong?" Bofur said.

"I will be fine, Bofur." She reassured him, unsuccessfully. Bofur pursed his lips and hurumphed.

"Kili would understand, if you had to change your plans, I know it. He would not have asked this of you if he knew….well…you know." Bofur said, motioning towards her. Tauriel smirked at his obvious discomfort with her pregnancy. And, save Gloin, who already had a child of his own, Bofur was the one who was the most comfortable with it all.

"Bofur, we have been through this…"

"Look, why don't you go to Rivendel, have the child there, and then bring the stone to Dis later." Bofur said, ever trying to find solutions.

"I can't. I have to do it this way." She insisted, trying to withdraw into herself. The dwarf would not give in that easily.

"Oh, for the love of Mahal." Bofur exclaimed, exasperated. "And…and for the sake of the child's father...what was his name?" Tauriel looked at him blankly for a second.

"What does it matter?" Tauriel questioned, voice low. Tauriel looked down, away from Bofur into the flames.

"If it does not matter, why don't you tell me?" he answered, obviously miffed.

"Because…" Tauriel said. She stood up and walked away from the fire, away from his questioning. Bofur followed, a deeply, concerned expression on his face. "I…I just cant…"

"Lass…" he said. Tauriel looked around at him slowly. "He would want to be remembered, you know." He said. Tauriel wrapped her hands around her arms, holding herself tight. "Tell me. It would do you good to speak of him." He said gently. She shook her head. Bofur continued pushing. "Come on now, what was his name?" Tauriel took a deep breath. With that direct questioning, she was compelled to answer truthfully.

"Alright…the father was…Kili." She said. A look of appalled, incredulous shock arose on the dwarf's face. He fell back and landed on his behind. He stared at her.

"You can't be serious…"

"Elves cannot lie." Tauriel revealed. The dwarf across from her was silent, for once.

She had to tell him, unable to lie about that fact. Bofur never again questioned her reasons. Their company divided long before arriving at Rivendel. Gandalf, Sigrid and Bilbo went onward to the elf refuge, the men with the plan of continuing on their own way to the Shire, Sigrid intending to return to Dale with a contingent from Rivendel, as she promised her father. Sigrid promised Tauriel she would tell no one what she knew of this child.

* * *

><p>Tauriel was pulled away from her mind's wanderings when Thranduil finally turned and approached her. She looked up into those striking grey orbs. They were filled with a quiet curiosity, his expression reserved, yet his gaze intense.<p>

"Why did you not tell me of this…development… when you planned to take your leave and travel across middle earth?" He asked, seemingly a bit upset by that fact. He knit his brows; for most elves knew when they were with child, practically from the point of conception.

"I did not know of it, my Lord, until I was already well on my way to the Blue Mountains." She said. "I did not heed the signs for I was otherwise … distracted…" He nodded.

"Now I understand why you did not return promptly." He said softly. "But you did not need to wait for so many years…" he said.

"Actually, I did." She said, in a quiet tone. Tauriel would never forget the first time she met Kili's mother. It was not an entirely pleasant memory.

* * *

><p>One by one, on the trip to Ered Luin, the dwarves eventually accepted that Tauriel, as unbelievable as it seemed to them, indeed bore Kili's child. Bofur and Gloin became terribly protective of her, and as they all drew close to the little village, they and would scold her for giving herself any strain, and coddle her incessantly. Dwalin and Balin were more wary of how they should inform Dis of the terrible deaths during the battle, than of the secret of the unborn child in Tauriel's womb.<p>

When they finally arrived on the outskirts of Ered Luin, they set up a small camp very near to her house, and all agreed that Balin and Dwalin would be the ones to bring the devastating news to Dis. Tauriel was to wait at the camp with Bofur until they felt it a more suitable time to bring her in; as if any time would have been suitable. They were prepared to stay there for days if needed. Gloin also stayed for support for some time, even while his wife and child awaited him in the hamlet. He felt he needed to be there. They all sat in silence that night, in wait, when the elder dwarves set out on their unenviable task.

Tauriel could not hold her composure upon hearing the screams of anguish from Dis that night, for whom the news was a complete shock, and the devastation total. Tauriel wept bitterly anew, her body quaking with grief as Bofur held her tightly and even stoic Gloin had tears watering his beard. Maybe it was just his time, or quite possibly, the intense anguish of his mother that signaled him, but that night was precisely when Eleiyon decided to come into this world.

The pains of labor commenced right after Balin and Dwalin had told Dis about her brother and her sons. Tauriel could not stay in the woods that night.

Dis eventually ran from the house in her despair, escaping to the forest, into the night with Dwalin following stealthily. Gloin informed Balin of the pressing situation as covertly as he could. They brought Tauriel into the tidy little home and tried to make her tall frame as comfortable as possible in the bedroom the Durin boys used to share, which was left as they had left it, almost two years prior. The pains increased in frequency and severity over the next several hours.

Dis eventually returned, exhausted and drained, with Dwalin. They sat her down in the living room and tried their best to gently inform her of the situation. Tauriel heard the murmuring low tone of Balin as he tried to explain. Tauriel struggled to hold back her screams as the pains of labor began again. Bofur held her tightly.

"Dis…I realize this is the worst time imaginable, but…we have a situation. A she-elf has traveled with us, all the way from Dale…she is with child. And about to birth it." Balin truly had a…direct…way with words.

"W...what?" Was what the tortured, low feminine voice said, audible through the walls. "You mean to tell me…you have brought…an…an elf into this house…one about to give birth?"

"I am so, so sorry, Dis…I wish I could take this from you." Balin said. "But…you are a midwife… she needs your help."

"Why?" Was the incredulous question. "Why should I help her? There are others who can…"

"It is a long story for another day…but… in short, she helped your Kili when he was very ill…" Balin explained. "And paid for it dearly by being banished from her people." Silence permeated the house for a few minutes.

"Why would she do such a foolish thing… as to travel with you in that state?" Tauriel heard Dis ask, softly.

"That…I believe she must tell you herself."

The door opened just as Tauriel was having one of the strongest contractions she had yet experienced. Her hands were in fists, every muscle tensed as she lay in bed, her back and belly on fire with pain. Tauriel looked towards her as Dis entered the room, Dwalin right behind.

Dis was slightly shorter than Dwalin, but small around the waist and more slender overall than her male cousin. Her face was angular and fair, with fine features she had only seen on dwarves the likes of Kili, with lips red and cheeks flushed, her hazel eyes swollen and bloodshot with the history of tears. Tauriel gasped; her hair was as golden as Fili's, open with wild waves that tumbled long around strong shoulders, much like her brother Thorin's dark locks had fallen. She had the slightest faint hints of pale hair on her jawline. Her face was drawn with grief and shock, and her expression was one of disbelief.

"What is your name?" Dis said, voice shaking, eyes surveying Tauriel.

"Tauriel…" She managed to squeeze out between clenched teeth. Dis shook her head and pursed her lips, and seemed to make the internal decision to help this poor she-elf before her. She swung into action.

"This will not do…" she said, her stark face becoming stern with purpose. "First rule, my dear, is to breathe with the pain, do not shut it in you." Tauriel began to breathe as deep as she could. Dis turned to Balin. "Kindle the fire and set a pot of water to boil." She walked spritely to a cupboard and retrieved some sheets. Then she turned to Tauriel, who was grimacing with pain. "Lay on your side, not your back." Painfully, Tauriel turned to her side, with Bofur's help.

"Like this?" Bofur asked. Dis looked back at them, cross. She walked up to them.

"Have you no experience at all with birthing elves?" Dis said to Tauriel, sitting on the bed before her, setting her warm hands on Tauriel's belly, feeling for the baby's position.

"No…no I don't." Tauriel answered with a groan. Childbirth was so infrequent in elves, even as a healer she had never witnessed it, and knew nothing of it. Dis shook her head again.

"That makes two of us." Dis groaned. "I just hope it just like birthing a dwarf…"

Eventually, the contraction subsided, and Tauriel was able to unwind her body a bit. Dis looked at her, obviously irritated.

"How often are the pains?" Dis questioned. "And how long have you had them?"

"The last was but a few minutes ago." Tauriel said. "And they started at least 6 hours past."

Then a great sadness came over Tauriel and she burst out in tears.

"I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…" Was all she could say. After several seconds, she felt a soft hand stroke her head as she cried. Dis sighed, grabbing Tauriel's hand, her other hand resting gently on her forehead.

"Now there, there, dear." Tauriel heard Dis say. "Why do you weep?" Tauriel raised her head to look into caring, soft hazel eyes.

"I did not wish to bring this task upon you…not this day…"Tauriel said. "Not with what you have had to bear…" Dis smirked sadly.

"Your child has other plans." She said. "And it will be arriving soon. And new life takes precedence before grieving over death." Dis stood up, with a deep sigh as she stared out the window, with a far-away look. "I have the rest of my days to do that." She looked at the men all around, her face set in a stern, commanding glare. "Anyone not female, leave." She ordered. The men filed out and she closed the door.

She helped Tauriel get undressed, and placed her in a long, loose shift, which was quite short on Tauriel. Tauriel retrieved the rune stone she had carried all the way and hid it while Dis folded some pillows and stuffed them around Tauriel's head and between her legs for comfort, and covered her with a crisp sheet. Then Dis brought a chair up to the edge of the bed and sat before Tauriel, the look of sad exhaustion returning to her features.

"It better be a good reason why you traveled here, like this." Dis said, crossing her arms. "The child's father will not be pleased."

"He… died…in battle." Tauriel said, her eyes blinking back tears. "He died...saving my life. Our lives..." Tauriel whispered. Dis gasped, and hung her head in sadness. She reached over to pat Tauriel's hand.

"I am so sorry, lass." She said, her lips pursed. "The bitterest loss of war is something we share, I see." She said.

"Yes." Tauriel said. She moved her hand to the smooth stone, rubbing it between her fingers. She looked at Dis with sincerity. "And…I do have a good reason for coming here now."

"I can't even imagine what that could be…" Dis said, shaking her golden head.

"I made a solemn promise… to give you something." She said, staring at Dis, whose eyes were growing more questioning. "I promised him…that I would be the one to place it in your hands." Tauriel held the little stone within her hand.

"What is it?" Dis said, her eyes half afraid. She held out a shaky hand and Tauriel slid the smooth stone into her warm grasp. Dis' mouth dropped open, and she stared at her hand as she held her breath. She gasped as she turned it, and the stone's runes came into view. She grasped it between two hands and bent over, weeping. "This is my Kili's stone…" she sobbed, rocking forward, holding her clasped hands to her lips, her eyes shut tight with grief. Tauriel was barely able to keep from sobbing as well, as tears formed anew. Dis finally opened her eyes and shakily brought her hands down to her chin. "How did you come by this?" she asked softly.

"The father of my child… before he died, gave it to me." Tauriel said, her tears starting to fall. Dis shook her head in confusion, the whole story not making sense in her grief stricken mind just yet.

"And how did he come by this?" Dis asked, incredulous, teary, her voice straining and her eyes pleading. It was obvious Dis did not understand, or want to…

"You gave it to him." Tauriel said, in a quiet voice. "Before he went on his quest to Erebor, with his brother Fili and his uncle Thorin…" she said. Dis stared at her, stunned. It took a few moments for the shock to wear off and Dis' eyes opened wide, and she gasped, her jaw dropping. She shook her head in disbelief.

"My Kili? My son?"

"Yes."

"The father of your child?"

"Yes." Tauriel said. Dis stood up and walked around, wide eyed, her hand covering her mouth. Tauriel looked on, anxiety making her chest tight.

"He left here… but my boy…" she said, and then looked back at Tauriel. "And now you tell me it is he that fathered your child…" Dis whispered, covering her eyes. "How am I to believe these tales?" she murmured.

"You have the proof in your hands…" Tauriel said, and then she swallowed. "He also told me to tell you…that he… learned what it is… to love…" Dis looked back at her, and with wide eyes she slowly lowered herself into the chair.

"He used those very words…" Dis asked, shock on her face. Tauriel nodded. A sad, incredulous smile crept over her face and Dis shook her head slowly, looking around the room that surrounded them.

Dis sat silently for a while, letting everything sink in, occasionally glancing up at Tauriel. In the face of his mother, Tauriel saw Kili's features when he was sad, a living example of his serious side.

"Kili was always preoccupied …with the idea of love…flirting with everyone..." Dis said, with a small laugh, looking down at the stone in her hand, wiping her eyes. "I always told him that…that one day, he would find the one…and it was only then that he would learn...what it is… to truly love someone…"

"Yes…that he did." Tauriel said, tears forming in her eyes. "He would always say to me…_amralime_." Tauriel said, her vision swimming with tears.

The long minutes wore on. Tauriel lay still in the presence of the only other person who loved dearly the one she loved, the only other person who would understand how she felt. Dis had lost so much in so short a time…and now this.

"How would an elf know such words, unless it was spoken to her with sincerity." Dis said, her voice soft, her eyes misty. She looked up at Tauriel, searching her face. "I should not be surprised that he fell in love with such a beautiful elf…" Dis mumbled to herself, as she smiled and shook her head. "But what…did this elf before me…think of my Kili?"

"We knew each other but for just a few short, lovely days…" Tauriel whispered. "But I can tell you this with certainty…I love him. With all my heart." She looked away from her face, to the stone in her hand. "He told me I was his _Yasith_." Dis gasped. "We pledged ourselves to each other…till the end of our days together." Tauriel said, and then she closed her eyes tight, and lowered her head. "Little did I know…that would come so soon…" Dis walked over to sit right beside Tauriel on the bed. She stroked Tauriel's long red locks. Dis took both of Tauriel's slim, long hands in her small ones.

"Then my dear…I will have to think of you as a gift Kili sent me…and this child as a gift to us both."

Less than an hour later, Dis helped Tauriel bring her grandson, Eleiyon, into this world.

* * *

><p>Back in Thranduil's halls, Tauriel explained further.<p>

"Eleiyon was born just as we arrived at the Blue Mountains; a strong boy child, and none knew that to make of him. His dwarf grandmother, Dis, however, immediately adored him. I could not take him away from her while she lived, after all the loss she suffered during her life. So much of her family died during the battle of Dwarves and Orks at the door of Moria…and her two boys and her last brother died in battle as well, back on the doorstep of Erebor." Tauriel said sadly. "Eleiyon was all she had left."

"I remember that day, Tauriel. I remember it well." Thranduil said. "And I can understand why you stayed with her all these years."

"I only left there after Dis passed in her sleep." Tauriel said. "It was as if she felt we needed to go…she was such a remarkable woman." she added, reminiscing fondly. Thranduil looked back at Tauriel.

"Remarkable? Why?" he asked.

"Oh…a good many reasons. But that is another story altogether." Tauriel answered, a slight smile on her face.

**{Yes, another story that it is ...stay tuned for it. And the next chapter of LMTF}**


	41. Chapter 41

**Author's Note: **

**Thank you my lovelies, for all the kind words and guesses as to what will happen next. Muhahahaha!**

**whilewewereyetsinners, Tuonra, dark rose maria, claudiabertoni, jampaqd, nenithiel, margaritasc, celebrisilsweth, Amygoddess, Amber85, Kasmira36, anotherdamnmexican**

**Yes we are setting off on a new adventure in LMTF...read on.**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Thranduil looked with a discerning eye at the once estranged she-elf in his midst. He had let the rage at Tauriel pass from him decades before; even forgiveness had tempered his thoughts of the fire-haired, brash young elf. His initial bitterness at all that had occurred between them, the disobedience, the insolent threat on his life he now saw in the context of a greater story, one that he had failed to sense the depth and breadth of at the time.<p>

What she did, she did for love; Tauriel protected the dwarf who was the father of her child that day, and that, Thranduil now begrudgingly understood. Once that bond between two people had formed, however unlikely, however strange, whoever it was with, it was stronger than her bond to anyone else, even her king. But Thranduil was beholden to Tauriel for other things… the happenings at the Lonely Mountain had forced him to open himself up again, made him to venture again to the larger world of Middle Earth beyond his kingdom, and with that return came a mild lightness; or as much of a lightness that could exist for him, one so ancient and scarred weary by time and grief.

Tauriel was a beautiful as ever, her red locks long and her countenance as fair and expressive as Thranduil had always remembered; her own striking mix of delicate beauty and danger still readily visible. But the differences that were harder to see lay within. The change between the elf that had left their midst and the lady that stood before him now bespoke a journey of many lifetimes, an aging of many years more than the years she had been gone. But something more about her puzzled him, beyond the fact she was now a mother, and an elf successfully leading her own life without his intercession. It seemed that the bright light that usually shone like an aura, that surrounded his 'little one' had become a bit harsher, and had changed. Gone was the fresh curiosity, weather beaten was the unbridled energy and fierce curiosity. She too, now bore the scars of battle and grief.

The memory of her weeping, with Kili lying still in her arms was a powerful, strong image burned into Thranduil's mind. It brought him immediately back to such a time in his life. He did not have such a chance, however, to hold his wife for her last breaths. Just an instant had passed in a brutal siege when she was taken away, and he never again got to see her. Suddenly, she was no longer in their lives, but the pain remained and seared him until it burned black within him. The scars he hid on his face were nothing compared to the wounds on his heart. He had suppressed it all, and thought he had forgotten what it was to love like that. But seeing Tauriel and Kili that day, it all came back in a torrent; all the feelings flooded him and he was overwhelmed. But with the pain of loss remembered, thankfully, also came the warmth of memories; tender moments and happier days. Those, he realized, he had missed horribly.

Upon their return from the battle at Erebor's plains, Thranduil had rekindled the strained relationship between he and his son; but they both recognized how much Tauriel had meant to them as the years passed. Without her there, Legolas was gripped by an irresistible wanderlust, one that Thranduil eventually accepted, when his son insisted upon embarking on his own journeys, alone, to the west. Now, upon seeing and hearing all that had come to pass in the last century for Tauriel, Thranduil was even more intrigued, and wondered about these happenings in their lives within the greater story of Middle Earth. Waves of realization bathed the ancient King's consciousness. There were greater threads occurring, other than his, something grand afoot here, and this, he was just beginning to discern. With the quiet, foreboding threat of the Evil that had returned, now Thranduil knew the Valor must be up to something…

Back in Thranduil's halls, the king urged his former captain of the guard to continue her stories of her days away from the elves. Even remembering anything about the day of the battle was difficult for Tauriel, Thranduil sensed, so he had her talk about other things. He did have an interest in hearing about Dis, the dwarf who was the sister of Thorin Oakensheild, but at the moment, he was more curious about this strange young man…Tauriel's son. Every parent loved to talk on their children.

"Carry on about…your son, please, if you would. What of his name?" He asked. Tauriel smiled. The names of elves usually carried great meaning.

"Eleiyon; taken of the Sindarian for rainbow." She said. Thranduil nodded.

"An array of colors…" He realized aloud. "That, he is."

"A rainbow is also the beauty and hope after a storm." Tauriel added. "That, he also is." She added, smiling with pride. "In the Blue mountains, he was known as Eleiyon, the elf, adopted grandchild of Dis in her time of great grief, the son of an elf who had been exiled for helping her kin." Tauriel continued.

"Ah…that was how you gained their favor." Thranduil said, with a question in his light grey, piercing eyes. "If you thought you were exiled, why did you return here?" He said, with a smirk. Obviously, Tauriel was no longer exiled. Tauriel looked at him sharply.

"I wanted to return…to see you, and Legolas." She admitted. "But I did not know if you would accept me."

"So…you took a chance." He said. Tauriel took a deep breath and nodded. He walked by her, his hands clasped behind him, his head bent over in thought.

"Even the mountains themselves can change, with the passage of time." Thranduil said, with introspection. "It is best sometimes, to let go of such acridity. It is more of a burden on one's soul rather than a way to protect one's kingdom." He said. That was about as much of a display of forgiveness as the ancient elf would allow. Tauriel blinked in surprise, and held back her emotion, but nodded in reverence.

"Thank you, my lord." She said softly. "For your grace." Thranduil walked around her, after grasping his ever present goblet of wine.

"So…even with the fact that you once aided their kin, how did you get a tribe of dwarves to take you and your son in for the better part of the last century?" He asked. "They hold bitter grudges."

"Dis was a force to contend with in Ered Luin, and she insisted we be welcomed. The… convenient… part of my story as an exile was told to all and helped explain why I had to stay in their midst. The dwarves who I traveled with knew Kili was his father, but they kept Eleiyon's origins secret, at her insistence. Dis adored Eleiyon, and she welcomed me as an extension of her family. Eleiyon was accepted eventually by other dwarven folk, but as an elf among them. " She remarked. "Eleiyon grew quickly for an elf, and was a bit shorter, that I realized, but the dwarves around us were not familiar with anything about elves, so to them, that was not curious. He seemed slow growing and long of limb to them." Thranduil crossed his arms and touched his chin.

"What else about him is interesting, other than the obvious?" Thranduil urged. Tauriel turned and looked back at her king. Thranduil nodded, and signaled to her to carry on. Tauriel became serious.

"From very early on, we realized Eleiyon had…talents." She turned to Thranduil. Thranduil tilted his head to one side, with a glance of curiosity.

"Talents like what my guards witnessed in the forest?" He asked.

"Yes, my lord. And more. And with his adventurous tendency, that soon became…worrisome." Tauriel said, with a sigh, as she recalled how they found out Eleiyon was even more unlike all around him than they had first thought.

Dis had insisted Eleiyon and Tauriel stay with her, in the house where she, her boys and their Uncle once lived, and she would not take no for an answer. Dis did not allow herself to wallow in her grief for long; the arrival of her grandson and his mother kept her thankfully busy and distracted through the worst of it, the first few hard years after the battle.

Just as her son had said, Kili's mother was an excellent cook. Tauriel, however, was not, and after a brief time, Dis figured that out. So they fell into a comfortable division of labor, routines of hunting, tending to the garden and the house while raising a rambunctious, energetic young boy together. Dwalin and Balin helped to make some adjustments to the house, to allow a tall elf, and her growing son to be able to move around a bit more easily in a cozy dwarrow hearth. Dis eagerly taught Eleiyon about his heritage, and spoke to him in Khudzul in private. Dwalin, Bofur, Gloin and Balin acted as uncles, becoming Eleiyon's essential male figures, passing on the fighting style, workmanship, culture and pride of the dwarves. Gloin's son, Gimli, developed a shy fondness for Tauriel…

Eleiyon loved his grandmother's food, but what he loved best was her rabbit stew. Sometimes he would eat nothing else. Tauriel also enjoyed Dis' rabbit stew, but it reminded her of Kili, and their first meal together. At first, it was hard for her to taste it without being sad, but she forced herself, so as not to be rude to Dis. But eventually, it became Tauriel's favorite as well, the succulent flavors and smell bringing her back to sweeter, happier moments…

One afternoon, Tauriel was walking back to the little house that she called home, on a pleasant, late summer day. In her grasp were several rabbits, from a hunting trip in the forests of the Blue Mountains. She approached the garden on her return, where she saw Dis' golden hair just above the bushes. She heard Eleiyon and his grandmother taking, but Dis' tone was a bit harsh. Tauriel laughed quietly to herself. Eleiyon was quite a handful, that she knew, and he loved to keep Dis on her toes. Eleiyon was just becoming verbal at the time.

"Now, that's enough. Put them down, Eleiyon. Good boy…" She heard Dis say. But...there was a bit of worry in her voice. Tauriel quickened her pace.

"_Gamul khagun_, play?" She heard Eleiyon plead, referring to his grandmother in Khuzdul.

"Not with those any more, all right?" an exasperated Dis said.

Tauriel rounded the bend to find Dis, who was sitting on a bench, wearing a look that was halfway between wonder and shock. She raised her hazel eyes to Tauriel.

"Look, _Naneth_ is here…" Dis said, her eyes widening. Tauriel looked at Eleiyon, who jumped up and ran into his mother's arms. Joyful and playful as always.

"Hello, Eleiyon." Tauriel said, smiling. Tauriel hugged her boy and checked their surroundings for any sign of mischief. Tauriel could not see the cause of Dis' concern. "Is anything wrong?" she asked.

Dis looked at the ground around her. She was surrounded by several dozen flowers that looked fresh and new… Tauriel did not remember seeing those blossoms in the garden...

"Well…no…not exactly…" Dis said. "Eleiyon…ehm…made… me some flowers." She said, with a forced smile, as the young boy looked her way.

"Made?" Tauriel said, head shaking in confusion, staring at Dis.

"Made." Dis said, nodding, her face a bit serious. "Show your mother, Eleiyon…"

The rosy cheeked little boy nodded feverishly, his short locks set in joyful curls that jostled about. Eleiyon practically jumped out of Tauriel's arms and ran back over to Dis. He carefully picked up a tiny seed from his grandmother's palm, and held it gently between his two little hands. Then he blew a small breath into cupped hands, his bright eyes squinting with concentration. When he opened his hands slowly, out popped a fully formed, perfect blossom.

"See _Naneth_…" he said, as he held out the beautiful, deep blue flower. "A flower!" he said, in his sweet, innocent voice. Tauriel could not believe her eyes. She looked down at her son, his eyes wide and green, his eyes searching for the approval a child so desperately wanted. She took the flower in shaky hands and forced a smile on her shocked face.

"It is beautiful, Eleiyon." She struggled to say, stroking her son's loose curls. "Thank you…" She glanced up at Dis, who gave her a knowing nod.

"Go ahead…make them dance again." Dis said softly. And so he did.

Slowly, the flowers rose in the air and meandered about, as Eleiyon raised his hands, waving them around, practically hopping with excitement. Eleiyon giggled, dancing and spinning around, and the flowers did the same. The flowers floated around Tauriel's head as she stared at them, and her son, her eyes wide with surprise, her mouth opening with shock.

"By all the gods!" Tauriel uttered, as she covered her mouth. Dis walked over to her slowly, looking between Tauriel and her son. She spoke in a hushed voice and they looked on, as Eleiyon became completely engrossed in playing with his flowers.

"He has been at it since morning…it took him over 15minutes to make the first one. I did not know what he was trying to do but he kept on insisting he could 'wake them up'." Dis said. "He was so insistent… and then, by Mahal he did it. But then he made all of these…And then, he made them float in the air..." She gasped. Tauriel he looked over at Dis, who was staring at her. "What is this all about?"

"I…I don't know…" Tauriel whispered. "I suppose he is…gifted." Dis looked back at Eleiyon.

"Is he gifted? Or cursed?" Dis said. Tauriel looked back at her unique son.

"I believe we will find out…" She said quietly, as flowers twirled around her head.

Eleiyon slowly lowered his arms and the blossoms floated back to the ground. The young, half-elven boy yawned and rubbed at his eyes. Tauriel and Dis approached him slowly.

"What's wrong, Eleiyon?" Tauriel asked.

"_Naneth_… tired…" He said. Tauriel tilted her head with cautioned concern. Eleiyon had never mentioned being tired before; he had the wakefulness of elves and was her constant companion during the quiet nights in the dwarf village.

"Oh, are you now?" Dis said, moving to action. "Maybe you just need to rest…"She held her hand out to him. "You have been very busy, young one. Come…lets go have a nap, alright, Eleiyon?" she said softly. The young boy nodded, his eyes blinking heavily. Dis looked up at Tauriel, who was a bit concerned. "Oh, don't you worry. I know a sleepy child when I see one…"

Eleiyon grew up strong and straight as a tree, thick of limb and was quite attractive, for man, dwarf or elf, the blood from the different races of middle earth mixing favorably within him. But recently, Tauriel thought he was looking more and more like his father each passing day, especially with the gentle growth of hair on his chin below his elven ears that confirmed his mixed origins, which spurned their exit from the Blue mountains. Since they departed Ered Luin, he took to covering his ears, pretending to be a human, which he could pass for quite easily, with his beard.

Eleiyon had developed into an energetic, fearless young man, brilliant and witty. Yet he understood how and when he came into this world, and he held on to that knowledge with a somber sadness. He understood how unique he was in this middle earth, and was respectful of his gifts. He developed into a sensitive young man who cared deeply about everyone. But above all, Eleiyon loved and defended his mother fiercely, and was very attached to her. And she to him.

* * *

><p>Back in her king's presence, Tauriel continued…<p>

"As the years passed, we learned Eleiyon could do a good many things, more than just turning seed to flowers, levitating objects, and the like. Once Eleiyon was old enough to explain it, he said he was simply just practicing what he saw himself doing in his dreams."

"So he dreams…and needs to sleep, like a dwarf?" Thanduil asked, his eyebrow raised. Tauriel shook her head.

"No…he sleeps only when he wants to; or if he has been using his gifts. It tires him." Thranduil nodded, then walked away, mulling it all over.

"Such powers could be disturbing to a child, and those who care for him." Thranduil said.

"Nothing about Eleiyon is commonplace. For him, what was different about him to us was just…part of who he was. We did get him to understand that his abilities were 'special', but nothing to be scared or ashamed of. But we did urge him to keep it hidden from most everyone else. The problem he had at first, with it all, was that he had to learn how to control his talents. That was…difficult, but amusing at times. He nearly drove his grandmother mad." Tauriel guffawed lightly. "But eventually, day by day, he learned to control what he could do, and use good judgement as to when to do it." Tauriel walked to the edge of the throne room and looked down into her hands. "But the most puzzling of his abilities we discovered much later, however. He realized that he has a communion with spirits; he can feel them, sense them like we can sense the presence of other living folk." Thranduil knit his brows.

"That must have been very strange for you…all. Sensing spirits is an elven attribute; made more acute with age. He is but a boy…" Thranduil said.

"It is more than just sensing them… he can also communicate with them." Tauriel added.

They used to think Eleiyon just had a very overactive imagination as he was growing up. Being the only young elf among dwarves, they did not mind that he had frequent 'imaginary friends' he would prattle with, until those gossamer friends would tell him true things no child should know. Many of the spirits he came into contact were those not willing to go to the Halls of Madros, because they were unsettled souls, who had a mission to complete or some message to give. Others just were unable to part with the ones they loved in life, and lingered by them in the shadow world of death. They called his friends 'kind spirits', but they soon realized both dark and light specters revealed themselves to him.

Having no one to guide Eleiyon but the naturally spiritual Bofur, he had to learn how to shut out those ghosts that wished him or others harm. He eventually helped others to communicate directly with those who had passed, but it took much effort from him, and weakened him greatly each time, but he did so, especially to free the ones he felt most needed to find solace. This left him darkened and introspective at times. She continued speaking about it with Thranduil.

"We understood more about it all when Lady Galadriel visited us, but even she was taken aback by that skill. At first she believed that Eleiyon was born with the powers of a mystic. Lady Galadriel recently took him on as an apprentice for 10 years. She is now convinced he is a born wizard. "

"A born wizard…So…that is what I sensed." Thranduil said. He nodded, moving around his throne room. "That is indeed unusual…But why bring him here, and why now?" Thranduil asked, bringing her back to the present.

"It was time for him to see his other side, his elf heritage. And it was time to take leave of his dwarf brethren, once Dis finally passed in her sleep...and he started looking more like a dwarf." Tauriel said, strolling up to the edge, looking down at her son as he walked among the elves surrounding him. "It was unexpected, her death, and the first death he witnessed, of someone he really cared for, and it affected him profoundly. But it made him realize; there is a whole new world for him to see, and many a kingdom to visit." Thranduil stood next to her.

"He seems quite accomplished. You did well with him, Tauriel." He said.

During the conversation between Thranduil and Tauriel, Oreyon approached the throne room slowly, with only as much noise as necessary to announce his arrival without being rude. Thranduil turned to his elegant confidante, who had entered into their midst.

"My Lord, I am sorry to interrupt, but…we must discuss a few things. We need you to onfirm a few details of the feast." Oreyon said. Tauriel knit her brows.

"Ah yes." Thranduil said, with a nod. "It is but a few days before _Mereth Nuin Giliath_. There is much still left to do."

Tauriel felt her heart skip a beat and an ache lodged itself in her throat. The last time she had been in the woodland fortress during The Feast of Starlight, her night included a rather pleasant chat with a particularly tall dwarf…

"There is much to celebrate this year." Oreyon said, beaming gently at Tauriel. "Did you come especially for the feast, Tauriel?" he asked innocently. Thranduil turned around gracefully to glance at Tauriel, with a slight smile at first…

"No…no. It…is just a fine coincidence." Tauriel said, with a forced smile, voice a bit shaky. Oreyon nodded and continued. Thranduil's sharp eyes did catch the subtle discomfort in his fire haired guest.

"I have made arrangements for you and your companion. I assume that you both will need a place to stay, and he a place to sleep?" He asked, gingerly.

"I do not wish to be a bother, before the feast…" she started. She was having a hard time keeping her emotions at bay.

"You are no bother, Tauriel." Thranduil said. He turned to Oreyon. "Go ahead, Oreyon. I will meet you soon in the cellars." Thranduil ordered, as he firmly dismissed his aide. Oreyon tilted his head a bit, with a questioning glance, but soon complied, hurrying down the stairs. Thranduil turned slowly to face Tauriel, who's face was stony, yet faintly sad. That subtle expression Thranduil would notice only because he knew her.

"The Feast of Starlight was always your favorite." He remarked, in a low voice. Tauriel raised her eyes and looked around, to take in the shadowed majesty that was the inside of the woodland fortress.

"Yes… and it still is." She said, pursing her lips. Thranduil could see the slight shine in her eyes.

"Very well…then we will make this one particularly enjoyable. If you would excuse me for a moment…" Thranduil said, turning around, then pausing. "You may stay here if you wish. I will return shortly."

"Of course…" She said. Thranduil nodded, and then turned quickly, his ever present, exquisite flowing vestments trailing him with a flourish. She looked on as he near-silently took the steps that led down to the wine cellars. Tauriel stared at the empty space left by her king for a long while.

Tauriel did not know what she expected coming back to Mirkwood, but it was not this; to be accepted so easily and graciously by Thranduil into his realm again. Left alone with only her thoughts, the memories ran wild. Within her mind's eye, she remembered one clear night when she and Eleiyon traveled beneath the stars in their long trip back from the Blue Mountains to Mirkwood.

They had just gone through the pass, and were on the eastern side of the mountains, a little more wary because goblins frequented this area, they were told. Tauriel had been looking up in the sky, a clear night full of stars, remarking to herself in her own mind how perfect this space in the forest was; it was near an overhang of a cliff just above them, one set dark among the trees. She sat up and breathed heavily, looking around at the flowers near her, in the clearing. She looked back at the wall of stone behind them. It was all hauntingly familiar.

She turned around in time to see Eleiyon walking up the path, a freshly caught fowl in his grasp. He raised it as she gazed on in, a big smile stretching across his face. Eleiyon's bright eyes, hair and smile were so like his father's, differing only in color …she stared in disbelief and her breath caught in her chest.

There before her, she saw the vision of Kili, back in the forest outside of Laketown, coming out of the shadows of the little lodge as he found and lifted up his quarry that day, the bird he had caught only moments after she gave him the elven bow. It was one of the most carefree moments of their time together, and a sweet, tender memory. She felt the pang of sadness hit her as a physical blow. She fell to her knees.

Eleiyon's expression turned into one of concern and he ran to her.

"_Naneth…_" he said, "What's wrong?"

Very infrequently did Eleiyon refer to her by the Sindarian term of endearment for mother, ever since he had taken to disguising himself as a young human. He knelt before Tauriel as she stared at him, shaking her head. He pursed his lips and stroked her hair, worry widening his eyes, producing a little wrinkle between his brows. It took her quite some time to speak, so Eleiyon sat down before her and hugged her. Tauriel blinked her eyes slowly and put her head on his shoulder. Her cheek brushed against the short hair on his face…she shuddered.

"_Naneth_…please speak to me…" he murmured.

Tauriel breathed deeply, holding him tight. She broke the embrace and gently held the little iridescent stone that hung by the chain on his chest, her fingers tracing the runes.

"You…just looked so much like him…just a few moments ago." she whispered. She heard Eleiyon sigh.

"I am sorry that brings you such sadness…" his low voice began, but then he stopped short as Tauriel looked up at his face sharply and shook her head slowly, her eyes intense.

"Oh no, Eleiyon." She breathed. "It was a sweet memory, precious and pure." Tauriel leaned back and looked at her son thoughtfully. "I … just miss him sometimes." Eleiyon's lips pursed, and he looked down, shaking his head.

"You miss him always, _Naneth_." He murmured, forlorn. "I have seen you struggle with it, all my days." Tauriel looked at her son sadly. She did not try to deny it.

"Yes." She said, softly. A quiet moment passed, and Eleyion's eyes searched his mother's face

"You still love him." He said, with realization. "I think you always will…"

"Yes. I believe so… Just as I will always love you." She said, stroking her son's downy cheek. Eleiyon looked back into her eyes, a thoughtful, sad expression flowing over his face.

""I…still do not understand why I cannot sense his spirit." He whispered, looking out into the woods. "I do call on him sometimes. I wish we could have met...somehow."

Given what he could do, Eleiyon was most upset that he could not sense his father, wherever he went, however hard he tried. Eleiyon hoped that he would be able to commune with his father, the closer he got to Erebor. But that both worried and excited Tauriel, because the echoes of Kili's voice were getting louder in her head.

"And I wish he could have met you…" Tauriel said, stroking her son's arm. She stood up and looked up into the night, into a sky full of stars, full of memory. Eleiyon stood up next to her. With a cleansing sigh, she looked back at Eleiyon with a smile. "It may yet happen, though. You may yet meet him in that shadow world you describe. But I am infinitely happy to have the pleasure of you in my life, _Ion_. You are his greatest gift to me." She said, as she touched his shoulder. "And a wizard, of all things…" Eleiyon smirked.

"I guess that means I must do something grand." He guffawed.

"I have no doubt that you shall." Tauriel affirmed.

* * *

><p>Tauriel drifted out of her memories, back to the present as she felt a slender tear run down her cheek. She inhaled sharply and breathed out, wiping her eyes. She gazed at the arching walkways of the woodland castle, the faint lighting and the elegant surroundings feeling at once comforting, as well as foreign, since she had been living in Ered Luin for so long, a place so different. Tauriel walked over to the edge, and leaned up against the short wall, as if exhausted. She wondered if she would ever feel at home…anywhere, ever again.<p>

"Oh Kili…" She whispered to herself. "I miss you."

* * *

><p><em>KILI...<em>

His mouth opened and his body moved, shifted, as if jostled or shaken. They had been moving infinitesimally slowly, but then the muscles in his chest remembered what they needed to do…he breathed in a deep breath. It was stale, cold, dank and acrid, filled with dust. The feeling of the powder in his lungs felt like searing sand; it made him break into a paroxysmal cough. With the second breath he struggled to open his eyes, but they were as if sealed shut.

_Where am I?_

Slowly, rigid fingers moved and inflexible limbs twisted. He writhed against the stiffness of his joints, his flesh, his skin until his arms would bend. He brought his arms up, over his body, over the stiff folds of his clothes. He felt over the clasps on his vestment, slowly, painfully. He brought his hands up to his face, the skin feeling like leather, unworldly, not his own…he struggled with numb fingers to pry his eyes open; but what was before them was as black as when they were closed. He shut them again, in pain. Everything was so…dry.

_Water…I need water…_

He shakingly reached out before him and around him…he was surrounded by cold, coarse rock walls. The heart within him started to beat faster, the blood forcing its way through tight vessels that had only been receiving a trickle. He started to hit, push hard at the walls that surrounded him…where ever he was, he needed to get out…now.

_KILI…_

Deep in the depths of Erebor, where only the dead are there to keep each other company, a thumping sound arose from one of the crypts. It grew louder and louder, as a stone slab shifted then, shifted further…then with a final thunk, it shifted off enough for who was trying to escape to do so…

Out crawled a body, covered in grey dust, coughing and straining for breath. He half crawled, half squeezed his way out of the slim hole in the stone, and then fell to the ground.

Something, somewhere…had awoken him...


	42. Chapter 42

**Authors note:**

**Hello everyone! No I have not given up on this tale, for all those who have asked…**

**I am soooooo sorry I have been taking such a long time…I could give you the reasons; like my life has gone into overdrive, I have been hit by health surprises, and work has gotten busy, etc…(which it has, loveys… Therefore I have only had stolen moments to get back to this. But it is always on my mind and in my heart. I don't want to put out half-baked stuff, either. Hope this will suffice for now, and assuage your curiosity.**

**To my reviewers, new and old: Your thoughtful candor is inspiring! Colkagome, margaritasc, sparkle85, petitebulle, andante, Jessie, nenithiel, lenabeana, forestdweller89, kansa, jampaqd, foreverjelly, amber85, lotrhobbithp, kasmira36, whilewewereyetsinners, butterbum, brynpetals, mfaerie32, darkrosemaria, Yas…**

**AW**

* * *

><p>Late In the wee hours of the morning, after the festivities of The Feast of Starlight were at an end, the wine drunk and the exquisite food eaten, the usually quiet and regimented elves began to make their way back to their quarters and posts, most walking away in various states of frivolity and drunkeness. Eleiyon strolled comfortably through the main hall, hands clasped behind him, an observer mostly now, but he had been quite the willing participant earlier. Eleiyon found it amusing to see how the stiff, silent and subtle elves transformed with the nectar of the vine, one quite delicious, flowing freely. It was a befittingly beautiful night, as if the clouds knew they should be scarce after the sun left the sky, and the stars themselves were told to sparkle a little brighter just for the occasion. The voices of the cantors, smooth and ethereal, were as if angels themselves were singing, the echoing tones gripping him tight in his chest, so that all he could do is listen in raptured awe.<p>

For most of the night Eleiyon had been guided around by the archer he had met earlier, Tahira, and he was fed goblets and goblets of fine wine, and good food until he swore he would bust. He was relieved to see his tolerance for drink was similar to the elves around him; for it is well known that elves can handle their spirits quite well, among the peoples of middle earth. He was introduced to many more of the wood elves, as he struggled to try to commit all their names to memory in a wine-veiled mist. Tahira's company was much appreciated, as her demeanor with him had transformed with the passing of the days, like how the the frigid morning air warms with the sun's rays.

The Feast of Starlight was grand, but tempered. It was an occasion more formal and beautiful undeniably, than any other he had yet been, this occasion being so much more proper than what would have been seen in Ered Luin; but it would never compare with the noise and frivolity of a hearty dwarrow festival, those being his favorites when he was back in the Blue Mountains. But such was the delicate way of the elves he now lingered with, which had its own appeal.

He looked over at Thranduil, set high amongst them, yet apart from them, regal and commanding above them, while still intense. Yet every once in a while, in conversation with his confidant, Oreyon, a barely perceptible smirk graced his lordship's face and he leaned back into his throne and crossed his elegant legs, his eyes revealing his amusement, just a little opening in his otherwise impenetrable armor. Eleiyon let some leisurely moments pass gazing towards him until the king's eyes found his.

Wordlessly, Thranduil bid him approach. Eleiyon blinked, yet complied immediately, approaching the king quickly through the now sparse crowd. Thranduil stood up and came towards him. Eleiyon bowed in reverence. A quick, sly glance to Oreyon, and the King's confidant was on his way. Thranduil looked at Eleiyon, who immediately felt his gaze upon him like a weight; but there were questions in his eyes. Eleiyon did a little internal gasp. He had heard so much of this opulent king, he felt as if he knew what to expect…but standing next to the great king was another thing altogether. He was so much…grander. Eleiyon stilled himself, and kept his composure.

"I apologize that we have not yet met." Thranduil's deep voice boomed. "Welcome, Master Eleiyon, to the Woodland Realm." He said, with a slight nod. Those grey eyes were piercing, under the refined, elegant, berry encrusted crown.

"Thank you…King Thranduil…it is an honor." Eleiyon said, his shoulders squared, as he bowed, just deep enough to show reverence.

"_I hope you are finding the feast to your liking._" Thranduil said in Sindarian, a knowing look in his eyes. Eleiyon smiled widely.

"_Yes…of course_." Eleiyon said, "_It is quite the introduction to your fine kingdom_." He said, in his best elvish accent. Thranduil's head shifted to the side for a moment and he looked thoughtfully at Eleiyon.

"_Tauriel…has told me much about you_." He said, the elfish words sounding velvety on his tongue. Eleiyon's eyebrows rose just a bit. "_There is much yet I would like to know. We should meet again…privately_." Eleiyon nodded.

"Of course." Eleiyon responded.

Eleiyon dipped his head gently in a subtle, elvish sign of deference, a silent bequest to take his leave. Thranduil replied silently in kind, an intense stare followed by his eyes closing and his head tilting to one side. A royal dismissal if he ever did see one, Eleiyon thought. He smirked to himself and took his leave.

He strolled away, and soon found himself traversing the slender walkways while patting his belly, one filled by a feast befitting the special celebration in Mirkwood. He left in search of his mother, though, who had left the festivities earlier in the night…she seemed distant and introspective by the end of the party. When she was like that, Eleiyon suspected, it was just best to let her be alone for a while. Memories, he felt, would be haunting her here… much like the spirits that lingered on the edges of his consciousness oftentimes. Eleiyon could only hope his mothers memories were pleasant ones, but that he doubted. But eventually, curiosity and concern urged the half-elven son to search unhurried for Tauriel in the shadows of the woodland realm. Eleiyon strolled along by himself, looking throughout Thranduil's halls in wonder.

Being in the woodland realm was different to him than where he spent most of his years, with the gruff and emotive dwarves of the Blue Mountains, now thoroughly mixed with the survivors of Erebor. Eleiyon enjoyed his upbringing there; and who would not? He was the beloved son of a warrior elf and secret grandson of an important and influential dwarf in the Hills. He eventually became less of a curiosity and more accepted as the years wore on. The dwarves still did not adore elves as a whole, but he and his mother were different…she helped their kind, Thorin's kinsman, and was exiled for it; and that was all they needed to hear.

The dwarves did nothing halfway; once ready, they accepted both of them wholeheartedly into their culture. So he grew up, as much an observer as a participant in the dwarrow way of life. The dwarves were intensely protective and doting on family. They drank and ate and spoke loudly and laughed heartily, and scuffled merrily with each other. It was warmth and home and familiarity to him, especially the warm hearths and comfortable beds of his grandmother's hovel, the rich verdant forest surrounding the town, set in the harshness of the rocky landscape of the mines. It was all he knew for most of his life.

However, Eleiyon was not a stranger to elven habitats; they had traveled to Rivendell and Lorien. But the woodland realm he found secretive, dangerously beautiful, strangely alluringly. Thranduil's Halls were hidden, yet expansive within, everything tall and elegant and arching way above him, the depth making his head spin with disorientation. It did not have the airy splendor of Lorien, or the stately, delicately sculpted forms of Rivendell, but the live walls and organic shapes of the woodland fortress bespoke a communion with the forest, an oneness with the earth that appealed to him. The very fortress breathed around him; the living walls cool to the touch yet undeniably alive. Within the wood, the voices of those past yet still present whispered gently, but did not call out to him. Elven spirits; they were much the same as when they still walked the earth: subtle, gentle, reserved, yet strong. He believed they could sense his presence and his gift, but the quiet spirits did not engage him. Maybe it was because the spirits of the Eldar that were present did not seek resolution…

Eleiyon felt strangely comfortable in the presence of the wood elves, more so than he had expected. The near silence and relative darkness of the woodland realm allowed his acute senses to rest. The elves quiet, yet intense demeanor and subtlety let him feel unchallenged; he was left largely alone, but what interactions he did have were pleasant and congenial, and made him feel at peace. The belief of most of the other elves, that he was a human who needed daily rest, gave him some time at night to reflect and think about all the times in his life, and all the times he would have yet to see.

Eleiyon was intrigued by his brief meeting with the king he had heard so much about, one his mother held so much reverence for. He felt he had come away from his meeting with more respect from the king, and for the king, a being so ancient and powerful and stubborn. His very presence sharpened Eleiyon's senses, and made him acutely aware of the history of middle earth by just his presence. Yet Thranduil was not as imposing or menacing as he had imagined. He was fair in face, exquisite in dress, with eyes that burrowed into your soul when not even trying to. Thranduil's words were few, yet poignant, and Eleiyon listened intently as if each utterance was bits of treasure itself. Thranduil had a regal, indomitable air, and a presence that was at once awe inspiring, dangerous, and mysterious; yet there was pain there, buried deep, and vulnerability, fiercely guarded. No doubt the reason he was still so powerful, after all these years.

But Eleiyon knew this respite was short lived. It would not be long before a restlessness returned within him after a few days. He so wanted to continue on their path, through to the eastern reaches of Middle Earth, to follow in the shadow of Thorin Oakenshield's footsteps to Erebor, and see the mountain kingdom of his ancestors with his own eyes. His people…What would he find there, feel there? What answers did the echoing grandeur of Erebor have in store for him? Would he find his father's spirit there, like he had found so many other spirits, on this side of the Halls of Madros?

As Eleiyon walked along, a gentle sound caught his ear…one that made his heart ache, as it always did. He approached it, gingerly, silently. After hearing it so many times, he would know that sound anywhere. Yes, it was a sound he knew too well, although he had not heard it often for quite a few years, as he did long before this journey. Coming from deep in the dungeons, was the sound that kept him silent as a child, yet paralyzed, gripping his blanket about himself with the emptiness it created. It was the sound of a sadness that was deep and gripping.

It was he sound of his mother, weeping. Sadness so pervasive that try as he did, Eleiyon could never find a cure thus far in his lifetime, find a way to fill that void. He closed his eyes and shook his head. How could one live such a life, smile with such sincerity, and love with such clarity when her heart weighed so heavily in her chest? He would do anything to heal that wound, but he knew very well it was not he that could do so. It was evidence of such long suffering torture, Eleiyon could not fathom, having not lost as she did. It left him wondering; was love, romantic love that is, really worth it? Worth all these years of yearning?

A soft rustle caught his ears, and he opened his eyes and looked quickly to his right…

There was Tahira, looking down into the dungeons not too far from he, one slender bridge away. She wore a simple, elegant dress that over her pale skin, long and flowing, as was the style of the elves, the color the same watery blue as her eyes. She looked at him with that muted elvish expression of concern. Eleiyon knew she would barely hear what was so clear to his ears. She approached him slowly, as if floating over the bridge.

"I have never heard such sorrow…" she said, her face sad and worried. Then she turned to Eleiyon. "Your companion…she cries alone…in the dungeons." She whispered. Tahira looked at him with a questioning expression, and waited silently for his response. Eleiyon pursed his lips and looked away, not knowing if…or how… to answer.

"Yes…that she does." He said, a bit awkwardly.

Theirs was a life so stealthy; Eleiyon did not share his thoughts, his words often with many outside of the little grove at Erid Luin. And there was little respite in Lorien. When he looked back up at Tahira, she tilted her head and walked slowly towards him.

"Seldom do we have, far less take in, visitors in Thranduil's halls; yet, so much mystery has come into our quiet realm these days." She said, walking behind him, to the other side, as Eleiyon continued to look down into the dungeons. "Like an elf warrior who weeps in the dark…and a man with sharp senses who turns arrows to snakes." she said, with a mildly questioning lilt in her voice. Eleiyon fought back the urge to pull away as he felt her come closer to him. His instincts to hide, to protect were screaming…

But thankfully, Tahira stopped a respectful distance from him. She must have seen the tension in his shoulders, the discomfort in his gaze, Eleiyon suspected. She put her hands to her side and stood silently.

"Do you want me to leave you alone?" Tahira questioned gently…

"No…" Eleiyon whispered, almost before he realized the word had left his lips. He looked towards her slowly. "But…you don't have to stay…" Her head tilted slowly to one side, as her lips pursed gently. She took two steps closer, then paused.

A quiet fell between them, as they listened to the barely audible sounds of quiet grief beneath them, almost drowned out by the festive murmurings echoing through the realm. The seconds turned to a minute or two; intense yet quiet. Eleiyon felt compelled to speak.

"Secrets…there are …so many secrets." Eleiyon finally said, with some effort, and a sigh. He turned slowly to gaze at soft, curious eyes. He took in a deep breath as Tahira turned slightly to stand next to him quietly, her hands clasped together leisurely, her head nodding.

"Your secrets…they are yours to keep hidden, as you please." She said.

Eleiyon closed his eyes. In Ered Luin he had friends, but he never allowed anyone to get too close. It was an automatic reaction he had when he met people, to hide who he was, his story, and his life. He was never able to use his gifts around anyone but those related to him, and very few others as he grew into adulthood. There was so much pain and sadness in his history, strangeness in his life. But what he felt around Tahira…there was as much comfort as there was anxiety. But it was pleasant, overall.

"Secrets…are all that I am." Eleiyon said with a smirk, as he continued. Tahira turned her head slowly away from him.

"Secrets… are sometimes armor…" She said, puzzled, her large eyes looking down to the dungeon. "But sometimes, they can be a prison." Tahira turned to look back at Eleiyon, a confident expression on her face. Eleiyon looked down into the dungeons, where his mother was. A few moments of silence went by as Eleiyon pondered her words; true words they were. He made up his mind.

"She… weeps…for a lost love." He whispered, as his eyes rose to look at the warrior next to him. She turned her body slowly to face him again. Her eyes inquisitive, she leaned towards him soundlessly. He turned his body toward her.

"Lost?" She asked.

"He died long ago." Eleiyon clarified. Tahira pursed her lips and nodded sadly in understanding.

"He was once here?" She asked, wonder in her eyes. "A guard?" He shook his head.

"No." He said. "A prisoner." Tahira tilted her head, her eyes blinking in disbelief.

"A prisoner?" Tahira echoed, her eyes moving away as her mind worked out what that meant. Her gaze returned to his eyes, her face filled with confusion. "But…there have not been prisoners here for quite some time. The last prisoners here …" she started.

"...were dwarves?" He completed her thought, maintaining an intense look into her yes. Tahira knit her brows, nodded, and looked back and forth between Eleiyon into the depths below, her eyes blinking steadily. She walked away slowly, her head shaking.

"She weeps…for a lost love… " Tahira said, voice a bit shaky, tinged with surprise. "A dwarf…" she whispered, voice incredulous, yet filled with wonder.

"Yes." He said. After a deep breath, Tahira glanced down to the dungeons then slowly back at him. Eleiyon looked away.

Eleiyon felt his heart beat hard within his chest. He was bursting just to tell someone, anyone, who he was, what he was. Something special he had always been told, but what was he really…something so strange and bizarre, he had to always hide it because of the fear of the different, fear of the unknown? He was so tired of hiding who he was, always pretending to be what he was not. What was he afraid of, now?

He heard Tahira stop short. Eleiyon turned his head and looked at Tahira sidelong. She turned around slowly, looking at him with pointed curiosity, a look of awe on her face. Had she figured it out?

Tahira approached him slowly, her wide eyes wandering over his face, his body, until she was quite near. He turned his head away a little. He felt her hand draw near, touch his hair, stroke it, frightfully close to his ear. He closed his eyes, tensing up, his jaw clenching, but he did not pull away.

"May I?" her quiet, hesitant voice asked. He nodded once. She pushed the locks of hair aside and sucked in a breath as that motion revealed the pointed ears of his elven side. He heard Tahira gasp. Her fingers wandered down to touch his lightly bearded jawline. She stepped back. He turned to look at Tahira as her confusion faded, her hand lowered and her eyes widened in realization. She blinked her blue eyes rapidly.

"She is...your mother. She weeps…for your father…" she breathed. "A dwarf."

Eleiyon let out a sigh of relief and nodded. He felt himself naked with the revelation of his origins, his most guarded secret, who he really was to this person who was a mere stranger not too long ago. He pursed his lips and clenched his eyes tight. He did not know what he would find, when he would look at Tahira again. Cold curiosity? Wonder? Revulsion? He almost did not want to know. He dared to look back at the elf.

Tahira's eyes were set upon him with wonder and realization, soft and kind. They traced his face and a small smile graced her lips.

"Your secrets are safe with me, Eleiyon." She said, bowing her head, her hand on her chest. "I promise."

Eleiyon felt himself nearly come undone…

* * *

><p>The Feast of Starlight was as beautiful as Tauriel had remembered. She enjoyed each sip of that familiar wine, each bite of the delectable foods, prepared with such talent, just as they had each year she walked these halls. She listened to stories of all that had happened since she was gone, but in reality, not much had changed, as it was just a fraction of the long lives of elves. Yet for her it seemed so much longer, because so much had transpired in those years. But something was missing; an ache in her chest was growing, each hour the night wore on. There was another ritual she had to engage in, another place she had to go to make this night complete. Her compulsion guided her, even as it chilled her. She took her leave quietly from the festivities.<p>

Tauriel walked slowly down the quiet, empty, dark dungeons. Each step she took was painful, her heart pounding as she approached her destination. Finally, she was there. She stood in front of the cell where she and Kili first shared their first brief conversation. She gasped as she looked down through the bars of the cell…just on the other side, so many years ago, was Kili.

She closed her eyes and could almost hear his voice echo off the damp walls.

'_I always thought it was a cold light…remote and far away…_' her memory echoed.

'_It is memory…precious and pure…like your promise_.' Her own words resounded in her head.

Tauriel remembered the sweet smile and that look, every word they spoke, and remembered seeing the longing, briefly in Kili's eyes. If she was honest with herself, those few minutes touched her heart like no other had before.

"Precious, precious memories." She whispered to herself and her eyes opened. She bit her lips as the old cell lay dark, cold, and empty before her. She felt heart ache within her. Tauriel leaned into the frigid bars of the cell, unable to hold her composure, as the sadness and despair flowed like a torrent again from her as the wound in her heart tore open…fresh and painful. She slid down, her knees weakening, and collapsed on the ground, tears falling uncontrollably. She pressed her head against the cold, unyielding metal.

"I would give anything…to see you smile again." She whispered. "Anything…"

* * *

><p>With a heavy mist in his mind, the very cavernous space in which he lay seemed hazy, indistinct. Kili lay on the ground, spitting up dirt, hacking while his hands curled and opened, as his joints bent and straightened, cracking with stiffness, moving with difficulty. He groaned in pain and rose up on all fours and shook his head, dirt falling from every surface. He sat back on his heels, raising his head up to the roof of the cavern. He inhaled painfully, again and again, struggling against the coughs that wracked his throat and chest. His eyes struggled to open in the low light, for only fraction of light from the distant glowing torches in the upper reaches of the Kingdom of Erebor filtered into these shadowy depths. He had no sense of time, of place…he was not even sure who he was…But the instinct of survival bid him move.<p>

Shakily, with the hard stone walls the only thing to help him, he stood up. His legs fought against the force of gravity that threatened to return him to the dusty floor. He faltered, and then his muscles finally responded…he rose slowly. Through his murky vision, he saw a gaping hole; the place from whence he came, he remembered vaguely. The dark void he barely was able to see disturbed him…he lunged towards it, unable to walk, barely able to stand…he fell forward, arms reaching out. When did, he fell against the lid of the stone box before him, it shifted the stone so that the opening closed with a loud scrape that echoed… He collapsed as a heap on the floor again, gravity holding on tight…

Then he looked around; next to him were other stone pillars, and on them, rectangular stone, the tops with the likeness of sleeping dwarves. That was all he could discern was what was within this room, this room without a visible ceiling, or at least one he could not see. The others looked much like the one he was below… there were three. Three boxes… Why?

_Three boxes….no… three crypts…_

The wheels in his mind turned slowly. A dread took hold.

_Three…three of them…they lie together…_

His foggy mind drifted into despair, wondering who lay in these boxes of stone…and the vague realization began within him, that he had just come from one of those…what that meant began to bloom in his mind…

_What? But how…_

Cloudy, nightmarish images of blood and metal and dark creatures, cloudy skies filled his mind…then the blur of shining metal….then blood…But then he was distracted by a burning ache from within his throat, his chest, his belly…

_Water_…

Once deaf ears heard the faint noise, his dried out nasal passages smelt it, his parched lips and throat sensed the moisture of the waters that ran from the underground river spring through the base of this place. He was gripped with a great thirst, one he felt compelled to satisfy immediately… He crawled, half dragging his body a great distance it felt, in the dark, through shadowy passages, but he did not glance towards the light. His undeniable purpose, his goal for the moment was to get to the moist edge of the waters.

He finally reached a narrow break in the rock where there was a waterway flowing below. He lunged towards the gaping whole without question, without pause, without full knowledge of the distance of the drop, and fell from a height. Seconds later he delved deep into frigid waters that shocked his system. He writhed within the cold water that surrounded him and shook violently, then he floated…

He felt himself drifting, weightlessly with the current, his body going numb, skin loosening as he was bathed in the water, his empty, dry mouth filing with the glorious, cold liquid, his throat stretching with each swallow until he got the sense thtat he had to resurface for breath. Once he broke through to air again, sputtering and coughing, he looked around but could not see…all around him was black. The waters bearing him began to flow faster and faster.

Kili's body was tossed and tumbled in the frigid waters of the spring under Erebor, and after some time, he burst into the open, with a light that blinded eyes unused to the even the waning light of evening. He closed his eyes tight as he fell down the falls, into the rapids leading from Erebor into the River Running, heading on its way to the Long Lake.

The movement and tumbling of the waters disoriented Kili, and he sputtered frequently for air, his arms and legs beaten about into moving by the churning waters, his clothing becoming waterlogged, his primary goal changing to a constant search for air. As his ears were washed free of dirt, he heard the roaring of the waters, the calling of creatures pounding against ears that had been used to silence for so long.

He must have traveled some distance, because it took some time before some clarity of vision came to his eyes. He was in a wide, slow portion of the river where he could not sense the bottom. His limbs moved automatically to tread, to keep his head above the water … Above him was dark sky sprinkled with stars, and a wide, full moon that gave the foaming waters a blue, silvery hue. Around him was brush forest, rocks and dark greenery.

His awe was short lived. The wide river gave way to a narrow, fast segment where grey rocks were approaching swiftly. He slammed against a large boulder, hitting his head hard, and an edge of the sharp rock tore the skin on his forehead open, producing a gash. He cried out in pain…and was shocked to hear his own voice, gravelly and horse. He twirled through the rapids until he was slammed on to his back on a large boulder, He turned and gripped it, pulling himself up to standing, struggling against the current towards what he could tell was the shallows. He strained to move closer to the bank where the moonlight bathed the bleached rock. He crawled on the bank on all fours, gasping for air, and then collapsed…

His mind was the last thing to clear…and it was not doing that very rapidly at all. He could not member the time, or the date, or this place, or even his own name. But he knew it was night, because it was dark, and it was not winter because it was somewhat warm… He sat down on the rocky shore of the rapidly flowing river and shook his head, looking all about. He breathed hard in a slow panic.

_Where am I? What has happened to me?_

Then he looked up at the stars, and stared at the moon…the silver orb drew his complete attention, soothing him, calming him. After what seemed like hours, a distinct thought came to mind… a low light… a frame of orange flowing hair, white skin, green eyes…and tears…

'_Where is the moon?' _ He heard himself ask.

This was not a thought… it was memory…

_'__She is out…looking for a dwarfling that outrun her…'_ a soothing, familiar voice floated into his mind.

"T…Tau…riel…" his low, hoarse voice uttered, his throat struggling to remember how to speak. "Tauriel…" he said clearly, again. The word was like music in his ears…a strange flutter filled his chest. Oh yes, this was an important memory … one he should keep, no doubt, he knew. If only he could remember who that was…she was a beauty, he knew. Another vague, then distinct, strong thought came to mind.

"Durin…" he said hoarsely. He knew it was a name…but a name he somehow knew was not his own. But it was important…that he felt. But then the waters grumbled and captured his attention.

Before him, as he stared blankly into the glittering waters of the river, he spotted darkness, what looked like a shadow traveling over or beneath the waters, he could not tell. He knit his brows and stood up shakily, on legs not yet ready to function normally. He stared as the darkness swirled in the waters before him.

_What is this…a creature…what could it be? _ He wondered, in the mist of his mind.

It rose up from the waters, as if made from water but it was jet black. The bank on the other side was visible through it; this specte sparkled, seemingly covered by scales of coal. Two glowing coals, the shape of eyes appeared in the middle of the vision now towering above him as it slowly took shape…the mouth…the fangs, the claws…wings…a dragon.

"I see…you have returned …young prince…" A low, deep voice boomed and rumbled about him, so loud that he raised his hands to clamp them over his ears. The sound of that voice, more so than the words spoken, shook him. Unfortunately, a familiar voice...one distinctively evil…He backed up quickly, falling backwards, over a rock.

"Where do you think you are going now, Durin spawn?" The voice boomed again, as he struggled to stand. It knew him… Kili grabbed a rock and threw it at the specter… It went right through it. Then is when Kili's confusion turned to panic.

"There is no place you can hide, dwarf…from my revenge!" It bellowed.

As the figure lunged at him, a shadowy claw like cold heat ran over his skin, and pain began to shoot through his legs, which was within reach of it…sharp pain as if being burned alive…yet there was no fire… He yelled out in agony…

Kili fell back as the dragon approached and then stopped, as if it could advance no more. He looked on, in disbelief as the creature snarled and bucked and bellowed as if tethered. Distance relieved the searing pain, he realized…so he struggled up to run away.

_I have to get away from this thing..._

"You will die, dwarf! You will die again!" The voice of the creature followed him.

_What is this nightmare?_ He thought, in despair.

But there was no time to think...Kili fitfully scurried away from it, very disturbed. With a body not yet willing to comply to coordinated movements, he ventured up the bank, and stumbled into the dark forest out of the light of the moon. He trudged forward, as fast as his malfunctioning limbs would take him, away from the vile thing behind him. But its words echoed…

"Die again?" Kili said to himself. "What does that mean?"

Just then, he ground before him ended, too late for him to notice in the dark forest, and he fell forward, into darkness…

* * *

><p>"Ama…he's waking up! Come quickly!"<p>

Kili slowly became aware of the voice…and that there was light beyond his eyelids…the pain in his body, his head pounded heavily. He opened his eyes but could not see…something was over his eyes. He tried to sit up in a bit of a panic and was quickly punished with pain for his efforts. He closed his eyes and moaned, trying to move around stiffened limbs. How many times will he awaken in this way?

"It's alright… it's alright sir…" A small voice said. Kili tried to reach up to touch his head. "Please, Master Dwarf…Try not to move." The voice ordered. He groaned loudly in pain …his arm was wrapped, and it ached…and so did his head… and his right foot.

"I…can't see…." He said. The unmistakable shape of a hand moved before his eyes, and pulled the thing obscuring his vision away like a curtain. The light beyond it blinded him, and everything was blurry.

"It is just a bandage, that's all…" the voice said. It was a young voice…a girl. Kili blinked his eyes, got a quick glimpse of wooden walls and a posted bed as he looked around. "Please…keep still." Then he focused from whence the voice came and subsequently obeyed; he stopped trying to move. The round face of a young girl framed with dark hair greeted him with a concerned expression. He stared at her…

"Alright…" he said. She nodded.

"Can you see me?" She asked. He nodded, and could not help but to think her small features looked familiar…very familiar.

"Yes." He answered, squinting and blinking until her face came into clearer view. In the mist of his mind, a name matched the face. "You…you are Bard's daughter… Tilda." He half mumbled, half groaned. The girl's eyes grew round in surprise.

"Oh, no sir…" She stammered, shaking her head. "I am Calie…" The girl looked away from him, as if something drew her attention.

Kili heard footsteps coming from behind the young girl. On the other side of the room, a tall woman came into view, approaching him slowly from a doorway. His eyes focused on her. She was dressed in a long dress with an apron, her carmel colored hair pulled back loosely in a bun, the white shirt sleeves pulled up above her elbows. This woman's features were also familiar. She sat down slowly on the bed, as the young girl backed up to let her in. Her face was kind, with a small smile of wonder and disbelief.

"Master dwarf…" the woman said. "Thank goodness….we were so worried you would not wake." She said. Kili knit his brows in confusion, which caused his forehead to ache and he grunted.

"That I am..." he said, "But…I am not sure how good that is…everything hurts…" he winced. The woman smirked.

"I know, I know. Just try not to move too quickly." The woman nodded, and placed a gentle hand on his arm. Kili blinked as he looked down at his body, covered with a light blanket. He lifted his arm, which was wrapped in a white bandage. He put his head back on a pillow. He looked at the woman.

"What happened to me?" he asked. She pursed her lips, and looked briefly back at the young girl.

"We don't really know…but you have been through quite the ordeal, we believe." She said, with a knowing expression.

"What do you mean?" he asked, gasping a bit.

"My husband found you in the woods, soaked to the bone, and lying as if dead at the base of a cliff." She explained. "Once he realized you still drew breath, he brought you home. You had quite the knock to the head, it had bled quite a bit. And your arm and your leg were quite torn up. You were so cold, and pale we did not know if you would survive the night…." She said. "We did what we could." Kili raised his head.

"Well…thank you." he said. The woman pursed her lips and nodded her welcome. "But…where am I?"

"Oh!" she said, "I am sorry…how else would you know." The woman rebuked herself. "You are in Laketown, Master Dwarf." She said, with a smile. Kili looked at her in shock, shaking his head in disbelief.

"What? How is that?" he exclaimed. The woman leaned back in surprise.

"I know this all may be very confusing…" She said. The woman stood up and turned to the window that was right next to the bed, opening it. "Let me show you, so you can see for yourself."

Kili strained to sit up a bit, to look out the open window with incredulity. He could not believe it. Before his eyes was a wonder…a bustling port town, with clean, new, freshly painted houses and strong, wide wooden walkways and peirs lined with boats in every slip. People walked around everywhere, And on every boat were wares, finery, goods. Kili's eyes blinked with confusion.

"But…Laketown was burned…down to the timbers…by the dragon Smaug." he stammered.

"Yes, but…that was quite some time ago." The woman said, looking out the window. "It has been rebuilt since."

"By all the gods…" Kili whispered, falling slowly back into bed. "I…I don't understand." He said, looking at the woman, bewildered.

"Ama…" the girl said softly. The woman and Kili turned to her. "When he first woke…he called me Tilda…Bard's daughter." The young girl said, wide eyed. Kili could see the woman's eyes open wide with surprise. Then she looked back at Kili with a questioning expression that turned into somber realization. She turned and slowly sat down next to the wounded dwarf, a faraway look in her eye.

"I think I understand now." she said softly, to herself. After a moment, she looked back at Kili. "I was told that she looked like my grandmother at her age…you have confirmed as much." She smiled and put her hands together. "Let me introduce myself…I am Liyana, Tilda's granddaughter, King Bard's great-grandaughter." She said, as she turned to the young girl. "And this is Calie, my daughter." She said, turning back to Kili, who could only look between the Liyana and Calie in wordless shock. Then he lay back against the bed, slowly. Kili looked up to the ceiling and raised his hands to cover his eyes. His head really hurt now.

"One thing we don't know…Master Dwarf…is who you are." He heard Liyana inquire. Kili shook his head, desparately trying to understand it all.

"I…I'm not sure of...anything anymore." Kili mumbled despondently.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

**Hello all, and welcome to 2016! I have so missed you all my darlings, and Tauriel and Kili…**

**Please don't kill me for updating so infrequently; work has been busy and the holidays, though enjoyable, were an absolute time hog. I had to lock myself in my room to get this out.****I was dying to return to this, my tome, my baby for so long.****I promise you all who ask, I will not abandon LMTF. ****I will see it to the end. ****I promise you…**

**Thank you for your inspiring words, my reviewers; I will try to get to you via PMs: Christina, Ravenclaw-Strega, forever jelly, Margaritasc, Andromeda nine, Tracsedai, helciakuras, kansa, jewel, Tuonra, crazygirlg, Doransdanceparty, Jampaqd, Yas, Mfaerie, Jubjub 0250, Misztique, Amber 85, Amygoddess, Madison the red, kasmira36, whilewewereyetsinners, lumiya1989, nenithiel, Celebrisilweth, coldkagome…**

**Forever yours**

**AW**

**RIP Ziggy Stardust… I hope you are dancing in your red shoes far above the world in your little tin can with your little china girl under no pressure whatsoever…**

* * *

><p>Tauriel looked back at Oreyon with a fierceness she had not upon anyone for some time. She grimaced and moved her aching shoulder around a bit, refusing to acknowledge the sharp pain that radiated down her arm a split second after she paused in her turn for just a moment. That had allowed Oreyon's staff to find its way past hers, and into her shoulder. She folded away from the blow and fell back, crouched and ready like a cat, but the pained grunt she let slip out revealed enough. She pulled back for a moment, and turned away in the shadows of this relatively well-lit cavern, walking around in a purposeful yet leisurely, small circle as she clamped her jaw and hid her grimace. Her respite would be short lived. Tauriel felt it rise within her… an old emotion…one laced with power: Anger. But anger for her translated into resolve, after the many years she trained with her prince. Her face became more steeled; her eyes more sharp as she lowered her brow tightened her grip on the staff as she focused on and approached the present leader of the Silvan guard once again.<p>

Oreyon's normally neutral, stoic face briefly revealed a fleeting sense of surprise at being able to breach Tauriel's usually impenetrable wall of defenses. But Oreyon knew better than to comment on it, or apologize for the landed blow. That would be insult. Sparring warriors do not apologize for inflicting pain. Pain is truth, and a vital opportunity to correct a mistake that could be fatal in other circumstances. Already, he knew he had stirred her fighting instincts awake, seeing the fire spark in her eyes. He held his staff tight, awaiting her next move. Tauriel's next attack was well timed, fierce and swift. Oreyon knew she would not disappoint. He was glad for it, and welcomed it heartily.

Earlier that morning, upon his urging, Tauriel had met up with Oreyon at the place that was quite familiar for her within the woodland realm; the training room. The ever-observant King's aide had been disturbed by Tauriel's demeanor over the last few days. She seemed deeply sad, forlorn and lost when she did not know she was being observed by him stealthily. He also grew puzzled at her interactions with the king, which were secretive, their conversations whisper quiet, yet urgent. She shared little with Oreyon; about her whereabouts for the past decades, her plans for the future, and even less about her companion, the mysterious young man she described as a wizard's apprentice. The young man was pleasant enough, but was just as unforthcoming.

But, Tauriel's candor actually did not surprise Oreyon; she was always one to remain private, ever observant, reserving her thoughts, except when in the presence of her prince, Legolas. It was only to him she would speak freely, and it was only Legolas and Thranduil who she would gaze upon with reverence. Oreyon believed that is was the absence of her prince that was making Tauriel this way. But her veiled sadness bore on her like a weight, darkened her like he had never seen her before, that Oreyon could perceive and he would not tolerate it. Thinking that a little practice with weapons would invigorate her, as it had in the past, he invited her to spar.

The sparring heated up quickly after his lucky blow had landed, and it was not long before Tauriel and Oreyon were summersaulting and twisting around each other, grunting with effort, yet smiling with wicked satisfaction between moves well executed. Around them, a number of nimble and elegant elves that were practicing in hand to hand combat, moved out of their way. Tauriel's brows knit for a moment and as she jumped past several pairs of elves who were training with knives…it brought her back to the days when she was taught with such weapons; with the other young elves, and then Oreyon, and finally, Legolas himself, for he was the only one that was able to challenge her. But soon, most of the elves around held their own practice to look at the two experienced elven warriors as they widened their arena, their moves swift, strong and efficient. She saw Eleiyon enter into the training room and stare at her from a distance, concern coloring his face; she shot him a stern glance that he should remain there were he was. Her son complied.

Tauriel continued, and fought with energy and might, without restraint, relishing the way the familiar moves emanated from her, the muscle memory evoked, the blood flowing fast through her veins and flesh once again. It had been some time since she had fought like this, with someone who countered her with the fluid, elegant speed of a trained elf warrior, one who would match her, move for move. She had stopped sparring with Eleiyon since he was a youngling because, then, he did not have exquisite control over his powers, and it was perilous. As Eleiyon gained more control as he grew older, he grew more protective of Tauriel; he could not make himself land even a blow. The scuffles with goblins in the mountains or ill-fated robbers on the road here did little but annoy her. Oreyon was always a good fighter and a worthy match; and he had become better over the years, apparently.

After some time, when Tauriel had enough of this, she moved backward, into a corner. When Oreyon advanced, she allowed him by her and swiftly circled around him, releasing her staff, using the top of his staff and the nearby wall to anchor herself and wedge herself between Oreyon and his weapon. She half kicked, half pushed him firmly away with both feet. Oreyon stumbled away, freed of his weapon, as Tauriel elegantly righted herself and stood with his staff, at the ready for whatever move he had planned next. Oreyon spun around, and paused for a moment. A gentle smirk arose from his lips and he stood tall, nodding his head towards her, his arm across his chest in a subtle salute. Tauriel relaxed her stance, and did the same. Oreyon paused and looked around at the small crowd that had formed at a safe distance around them.

"Carry on…" he said, waving his hand, and in moments, the other elves training acquiesced and did just that. Tauriel approached and clamped arms with Oreyon. They spoke quietly in their elegant Sindarian.

"_Thank you, for those exercises, Oreyon_." She breathed out.

"Tauriel…" Oreyon said, his look pleasant, even though he was mildly winded. "_Now that was how I remembered our interactions._" Tauriel nodded and smiled. They both turned and looked at the training elves. Tauriel's brows knit.

"_With the woods as they are now, when will all this be put to good use_?" She asked, looking back at him. Oreyon grunted and nodded, a sober expression coming across his face. Tauriel tilted her head in inquiry.

"_One would think the woods peaceful, but all is not as it seems Tauriel_." He said. "It was but a fortnight ago that those beasts paraded through our forest once again."

"What beasts?" She said, turning to Oreyon.

"Orcs. A pack of them. As vile as I have always remembered." He said. Then he paused and pursed his lips.

Within Tauriel, the familiar revulsion and disgust welled up within her upon hearing about Orcs in her homeland.

"Why would they dare to come through here again?" She said, bristling. Oreyon sighed.

"They had a purpose, one we did not realize until we had run them out of the forest at the end." He said, looking away for a moment. He looked back at her intently. "You see, some time ago, Mithrandir came to Legolas with a little …creature; one he called Gollum…" he continued, his face now with an expression of intense disapproval.

"What kind of creature?" Tauriel asked, her curiosity piqued. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Eleiyon visibly relax as the blue eyed elf-maid warrior approached him. She puzzled at that briefly, and then turned back to Oreyon.

"I had not seen its likeness before; but it must have been a perturbation of some small man-thing. It was bent, and emaciated and hairless, and it reeked of rotting fish." Oreyon said, his lips curling with disgust. "And it scurried around mumbling and muttering to itself and us incessantly about something it lost, as if it was mad…of two faces, possessed by demons sometimes. And when we went to place it in the dungeons it carried on such a riotous fuss we decided to lock it in a room alone, one where we could get a break from its incoherent babbles and silly songs."

"What would the grey wizard want with such a creature?" Tauriel wondered aloud.

"I don't know why he wanted us to hold onto the thing, but he bade us harbor the creature until he returned for it." He said, shrugging, crossing his arms. "I took the pitiful little thing out to the forest for some air often, for that was among the only times it would be quiet. One day, as we were doing just that, we were ambushed by a pack of Orcs…the creature got away, though, in the scuffle. We searched for it, but it disappeared into the forest, like a ghost."

"And how did Mithrandir take the loss of this creature?" Tauriel asked. Oreyon grunted, and looked over the elves fighting before them.

"He has not yet returned for it." Oreyon confessed. "But…The orcs will return someday. The King senses it." He said harshness in his eyes. "I sense it." Tauriel became solemn.

"And with them it will come again… war." She said softly, lowly.

Oreyon looked over at Tauriel, the memories parading across her fair face like a shadow.

"I hoped that such days were ever behind us." He lamented, with a sigh. He knew those memories well; memories of war. Memories of death and destruction, of suffering, of loss.

Tauriel blinked and closed her eyes, as a dread simmered in her chest. She had felt the rise of evil as well, as the bizarre sense of specific unease, ever sharpening flashes of landscapes, scenes of people and places she recognized not. She became more accepting of her visions since being told that she was a mystic. Tauriel had learned to sharpen them during her states of states of meditative rest, when she was in the presence of the Lady of Lothlorien; for this unspoken concern also preoccupied Galadriel. The darkness of the ancient past had awoken, and was growing, and it would spread, like an infection in the lifeblood of middle earth. And it was hunting for something…something powerful.

Tauriel opened her eyes and gazed at the elven soldiers training.

"All that can be done it to prepare for the worst. As you are well doing." She said, looking back at Oreyon. He nodded and looked down, then back up at her, his brows knit.

"I hear you seek to venture further east, Tauriel." Oreyon said. "To those very places where we have fought before, where so many of our brethren died."

"Aye, that is true." She said, her pretty face set with a calm resolve.

"The days grow quickly short; soon the lake will ice, and the snows will fall upon the mounts."

"This is why we must leave soon." Tauriel said, looking away, her face plain, unrevealing.

Oreyon looked at the warrior before him now. Much the wiser an elf she was, it seemed, so made by her travels, and the mysterious trials and tribulations; he knew none of the details. He wanted to question the reasons for her imminent departure; but ultimately thought against it. If Tauriel wanted to be forthcoming with such information, she would have already been. He pursed his lips gently to withhold his desire to question her.

But Tauriel saw Oreyon's unasked question plainly. She had not told anyone what Eleiyon was to her; save the King. And Eleiyon had kept up the guise of being a man… She took in a breath and looked down to her feet. She would ease his wonder, without too much revelation.

"My companion's family harkens from the east; but he lived in the care of his grandmother, in the west, a wise old woman whom I befriended in my travels. With her passing, he now seeks to return east." She said, glancing back up at Oreyon. "I promised her I would guide her grandson along his way."

"I see." Oreyon said, nodding. She knew he would understand the honor of such a task. Both Oreyon and Tauriel turned towards the exit of the training room, moving in slow silent steps. "In any case, Tauriel, There is always a place here for a warrior of your excellence." Oreyon continued softly. "If your returns take you this way."

Tauriel gazed at the pleasant, kind face beside her. A face that was almost as familiar to her as the stern faces of Thranduil and Legolas. She could not remember many of her days in Thranduil's halls when Oreyon was not there. His green eyes were as sincere as she had ever seen.

"Thank you, old friend." She responded, with softness in her voice. "My travels yet may bring me this way again." She said, with a sigh. "But for now, I must prepare for the next steps of our journey." Oreyon harrumphed gently as they went along. Tauriel looked back at him with a questioning glance.

"Your companion may also want to return for a visit." He said. Tauriel's eyebrow rose.

"Oh? Why do you say?" She asked. Oreyon indicated with a glance and a slight tilt of the head where she should next look.

Tauriel glanced far over the cavern where he indicated. Her son was now sparing with the she-elf warrior, his moves slowed and delivered with such care and precision to reward Tahira her efforts, yet place her in little danger. After a few swift, elegant moves, Eleiyon relieved her of her weapon. Tahira, initially appearing upset, eventually shook her head and smiled at Eleiyon. He walked up to the dark haired warrior speaking softly; so close that Tauriel could not hear the quiet words they were exchanging between gentle smiles. They were standing in closer proximity than she had ever seen her son allow anyone to stand by him, save those he lived with in Ered Luin. Tauriel blinked and looked his way with wonder.

"Your young companion has found a friend here in the king's fortress." Oreyon murmured low. "He indeed is comfortable in the company of elves."

"Evidently…" Tauriel said softly, unsure how to feel about Eleiyon's newfound friendship.

But it was no matter; all Tauriel knew was that she wanted to leave shortly; she had the irresistible need to return to her quest, to go to the Lonely Mountain, for her journey's end was calling her. Tauriel felt the urge in her heart, silent and powerful.

Her lover was buried in Erebor; maybe his spirit awaited her. Or maybe she would find nothing to soothe her soul. She was compelled to go there in any case, be it the last thing she did…

* * *

><p>It was a clear, cold night in Laketown. The moon was a half circle in the sky, which was otherwise brightly lit by stars. Kili sat still, staring hard with tired eyes out the closed windows of the little room he now found himself, into the darkest part of the sky, counting the stars…<p>

_'__Starlight…it is memory…precious and pure…like your promise.' _

Memories of his elf were welcome but bittersweet. Her sweet voice echoed in his head, her image imprinted on his brain but he winced because every thought of Tauriel just hurt, deep in his chest. Her absence was maddening, the pain of not knowing where she was, or how she was, or even if she survived the battle… the uncertainty was excruciating.

But there were other painful things he was certain of, now.

Peaceful sleep evaded Kili tonight, much as it had since he woke up to his injuries in a house on the lake but a few days ago. Through the dark nights he stayed awake, as if afraid to close his eyes, to lose consciousness again for fear it would never return. For the moments he did drift, it was directly into nightmares; being closed in stone boxes, covered by dark clouds, bludgeoned by blood covered weapons, screams, drowning waters and red eyed dragons…vivid images of those he loved, lying dead, tormented him…and then he would get up with a start.

He looked down to the buildings and wharfs that rose out of the waters. It was quite late, the darkness setting in with a cold damp mist floating above the waters. Outside his square window was the market that bustled with buying and selling in the day, but was relatively quiet at night, save the occasional drunkards that meandered about, quickly sent on their way by sentries. Beyond the village, over an expanse of lake was the unmistakable silhouette of the Lonely Mountain, off in the distance beyond the waters. It still looked much as he vaguely remembered from his first journey here…the ill-fated trip to reclaim Erebor; one that ended in the bloodshed of war in the plains before it. And death…so much death.

Much had happened then on the barren grey rock and stone; yet much time had passed since then, he was informed. Was there so much that he had… forgotten? While his memories were becoming clearer by the day, none of his present made any more sense.

_Laketown…this godforsaken place was destroyed…I saw it. With my own eyes… it feels like just days ago…yet here it is, rebuilt. _

Kili's stillness did not match the tempest brewing within him. Kili had many questions in mind, but he ceased to ask them. None of the answers he was provided with made things clearer. His healing mind was struggling to figure it all out. His gentle, helpful caretakers, Bard's progeny, unbelievably, were tending to his injuries and showing him kindnesses, much like Bard had. The only things he was certain of was the realness of his hosts, the solid bed that bore his frame, the aches from his healing wounds, and the half- moon shining over the lake, visible just above the hulking, dark shadow of the lonely mountain. This place was a god sent comfort, even in his confusion and despair. Everything else about him, this time, and this place was a mystery.

Even though his mind did not, Kili's body bore evidence of his trials, and the passage of time. He remembered staring at the reflection of his face in the mirror of a bowl of water, one he was provided for washing. His beard was longer than he ever remembered it being, though not by much, as was his hair. As he struggled to dress himself alone yesterday, his limbs were stiff and his muscles smaller than he had recalled, his body shrunken as if by disuse. The skin on his ankles and feet was reddened, with large streaks, as if burned by Smaug's specter. On his belly was a wide, fleshy scar that wound its way from his front to his back, the only evidence he had of his battle on Raven Hill. He spent some time tracing the jagged, thickened skin gingerly. It seemed long healed, yet he could recall the fight as if it were yesterday. Just the presence of it assured him that his memories were not stories made up by an injured or maddened mind, the only tangible evidence of his past pain.

"I know… who I am." He spoke to himself, his hand in a fist on his knee. "But how did I get here? Now?"

That first night in Laketown was confusing. His hosts' well-meaning questioning led to even stranger questions and a frustrated outburst from Kili.

Kili winced with the memory of that night…he closed his eyes.

After he awoke and exchanged his first words with Liyana and her daughter, Liyana asked her daughter to fetch some cold water to make a compress for his headache. She looked back at him with a compassionate, but worried expression.

"What do you mean sir, that you are not sure who you are?" Lilyana asked. Kili looked back at her.

"I mean...by all the gods." He murmured, shaking his head. "I…I thought I died on that mountain." He confessed, almost in a whisper. Kili saw Liyana purse her lips.

"Mountain? You were found in the woods…" She affirmed to him, shaking her head for a moment in confusion. Kili let out a frustrated groan.

"No, no…not now…" Kili said, his brows knitting. "Then…back then… in the battle." he grumbled. He moved his hand over his side, the side where he knew the orc's blade had hacked into his body. He winced slightly with the memory of that blow…

"What do you mean…" Liyana started saying, frustration playing on her face as well. Then she stilled in mid-sentence and her brows rose. She looked down at his body, where his hand now lay. "Oh…your scar…" She said, softly, as realization mixed with confusion played on her fair face. Kili looked into her eyes intensely.

"What scar?" He asked. He saw her purse her lips and look down.

"I...I saw it…the old wound on your side…that first night you were here." She recounted. Kili raised an eyebrow. "I had to remove your clothing …to attend to you." She paused for a moment. Kili nodded his understanding, lips pursed…

"I see…" he nodded. Kili looked down to his hands. At least Liyana had seen that evidence of what he was in a past life, his existence as a dwarf warrior, a veteran of battle.

"Never…have I seen such a wound on one who lived…I…I don't know how you survived it." Liyana whispered, shaking her head.

"The problem is…." Kili started in a low voice, a chill coming over him as he shuddered. "I don't know how I survived it either." He looked up into her eyes, earnestly. "And I can recall little else." A moment of pregnant silence fell between them. Lilyana's brows remained knit and she crossed her arms.

"You got that wound…from a battle on a mountain…" She said. Kili nodded. "Where?" she asked. "What battle?"

"The battle fought before Erebor and Dale…there were dwarves and elves and man, and orcs, and goblins…" he started.

"The Battle of the Five Armies?" she gasped.

"The what?" Kili asked, with a frown.

"That is what we call it…" she said looking at him, her wide eyes blinking. "The great battle at the Lonely Mountain." She shook her head slowly in disbelief, and put her hand over her mouth. "I don't believe you were there…" she whispered. Just then her daughter returned with the cool compresses. Her mother thanked her and the young girl left, well aware of the tension in the little room.

In near silence Liyana soaked his aching head in cold water, and they were joined shortly by her husband, Dirk, the man who found him as if dead in the forest. He was a sturdy, quiet, giant of a man, with dark hair and a stern countenance who nodded at Kili in greeting, with a short introduction. He walked around the room, taking his place in the large chair on the other side of his bed, on the only thing that seemed as if it would hold his weight. Kili observed him with tired eyes, puzzled by Liyana's disbelief.

"It is good to see you moving around like one who lives…" Dirk mentioned. "So, where did you come from, Master Dwarf?" Kili blinked, looked up and out the window.

"There…over there…." Kili said, pointing to the large, hulking rock he could see in the distance.

"Do you mean Erebor…the dwarf kingdom?" Dirk asked. Kili pursed his lips and shook his aching head.

"Yes…well…no." he said. "I …I was born in the east…the Blue Mountains…" He continued, becoming more fuddled. "But Erebor…that is the halls of our forefathers. We… we traveled there…to reclaim the kingdom…there was a dragon…and a terrible war." he mumbled.

Dirk looked at Kili incredulously. Kili looked back at him with tired exasperation.

"Dirk, let me explain…" Liyana interjected, with widened eyes, getting her husband's attention. Kili looked on as she briefly filled her husband in on their previous topics of conversation. "Yes, well, he is awake, and he appears well… but...he seems to be having some trouble with his memory." She said, looking back at Kili. "He remembers little … after the time he was in the Battle of the Five Armies." Dirk puzzled over the facts presented, rubbing his beard. Kili looked back hard at Liyana.

"Why do you not believe me?" Kili asked, anxiously. Liyana pursed her lips and clasped her hands.

"It was not that I did not believe you, sir. I know dwarves live long lives but…"Liyana said, shaking her head and wringing her hands, tilting her head sideways "Even for a dwarf...you do not look as if you bear enough years to have fought at that battle..." she said, looking over at her husband. Dirk looked from his wife to Kili, a thick eyebrow raised.

"I must agree…that was over 70 years ago." Dirk added. "You would have to be twice that…"

"Seventy years?" Kili gasped, eyes widened, sitting up in his bed. Both Dirk and Liyana responded in kind. "It feels like it was just but a few days ago…to me..." Kili continued, his voice trailing off. He gazed forward in shock. "Do you mean to tell me, it has been over seventy years since that battle?"

"Yes…seventy five, I think." Dirk said.

"No, no, no…this can't be happening…" Kili groaned, covering his eyes.

_How could it be? Seventy five years? How has so much time passed?_

Kili looked back at them, breathing heavier, his heart beating hard in his chest. Dirk leaned forward, his thick hands clasped.

"Now look here. Calm down...there must be an explanation for all of this confusion…That blow to your head must have caused more damage than we can see." Dirk suggested, with a grunt. Kili rubbed at the bandage on his head. "A good knock can scramble the brain a bit." He continued. "Make you forget things for a while…"Kili looked intently at Dirk.

"You think so?" Kili questioned. Then Kili looked down, still in a state of dismay.

"Was the battle the last thing you remember?" Liyana asked, gingerly trying to help. Kili looked up at her, dread in his face.

"No…" he said, shaking his head slowly. And then he fell silent.

His hosts exchanged glances to each other for a few moments, their ever concerned expressions on their faces, their gazes returning to him.

"Well…what is it?" Liyana asked, her voice soft. Kili sunk back into the bed.

"You would not believe me if I tell you…" Kili said, his voice low, his face despondent.

_If I told them what I do remember, they would definitely think me mad._ _Crypts and underground rivers, and rapids…and a dragon. Even I don't believe it, _Kili thought.

Liyana sighed, shaking her head.

"I will believe you, I promise." She said. "We must unravel this mystery, and find out where you belong." Kili nodded, and pursed his lips… He could tell them only certain details.

"I remember some things…" Kili started, squinting his eyes with the effort. "But it is vague…waking up in a cavern, and then falling into a cold river, and being carried down on rapids for miles. And then being chased by something large, a shadowy creature, and running away, and falling…falling down into darkness." Kili recounted. "That is all I remember."

Lilyana glanced at Dirk for a moment. Dirk crossed his arms and knit his brow.

"You must have been traveling for the festival …" Dirk said. Kili looked his way.

"What festival?" He asked.

"The Festival of Durin, they call it." Dirk said, his brows knitting. "Many a dwarf has traveled from far and wide to celebrate with King Dain from all the corners of Middle Earth." He said.

"We thought we saw the last of them coming through here a few days ago." Lilyana said, looking to her husband then Kili with concern. "Maybe…you were going there too…and then got attacked along the way, and left in the woods to die…" she suggested.

Kili looked at them both, nodding in agreement, but a small detail had caught his ear.

"Wait…what do you mean, King Dain? Do you mean Lord Dain, of the Iron Hills?" Kili asked, a bit insistently. Dirk raised his eyebrows, shaking his head.

"No, I do mean King Dain, of Erebor. He is the celebrant of the Festival of Durin." Dirk assured him.

"Dirk…" Liyana said, in a low, warning voice.

"No! The rightful king under the mountain is Thorin Oakenshield! King Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror…" Kili said adamantly. The air in the room became heavy with tension. Dirk's brows knit, and he opened his mouth to answer.

"Dirk!" Liyana interjected, louder. Her husband looked at her. "If he remembers little …he may not remember that..." She said, looking back at Kili with caution. Dirk leaned back and pursed his lips. Kili stared at Liyana.

"What…I may not remember what?" Kili stammered. Liyana swallowed hard, took in a breath and began speaking softly and slowly. her compassionate eyes set upon Kili the entire time.

"The legend is… that King Thorin died from his wounds, after slaying the leader of the orc army, thus saving the dwarves of Erebor…and the people of Dale." She said. Kili's face paled, his eyes opened wide. Liyana breathed in again, and continued, her tone saddened. "The Festival of Durin is to celebrate that victory, and to honor him and his kin, who also perished that day."

Kili stared blankly into the air for some time, his eyes unblinking, and his face going slack. All this information was too much, too fast. He felt himself unraveling. Liyana could only watch, helplessly as Kili sunk back into his bed, obviously distraught.

"You knew him…well?" Liyana asked, quietly. Kili blinked repeatedly, is eyes lowering.

"Yes…" Kili whispered. His blood turned cold.

His uncle, his king…Thorin was dead. That information hit Kili hard, and he nearly crumpled under its blow. All became silent and still in the little room as the news sank deeper into him.

Bard's great-granddaughter eventually put her hand on his. She did not know Kili's close relation to Thorin, just that the news of his death was greatly saddening her wounded guest.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, before quietly leaving the room with her husband.

* * *

><p><em>I am Kili, son of Dis<em>, _brother to Fili, sister-son of Thorin Oakenshield …the last Son of Durin. _

Kili winced. That is how he learned that his uncle had also so died on that horrible day. He knew Fili had perished, to save him…but did not know until then that Thorin had also fallen to an orc's blade. Since then, the little family at Laketown left it to Kili to ask for whatever information he wanted and beyond that, only graced his ears with the gentle banter of domestic discussions and general goings on about town. Kili eventually told them his name, but only after he made sure they did not know the names of Thorin's nephews.

Kili blinked away that horrid thought to return to one that was more distressing.

_I am Kili, Hervenn of Tauriel…but…where is my Yasith? _

Tauriel…the beautiful elf's likeness was burned into his mind's eye. Ivory, soft skin, delicate features, hair the brilliant fire of the setting sun, and green eyes as clear as precious jewels…_his _elf…his wife.

But…A dwarf married to an elf…That, in itself, was such a farfetched impossibility, he could convince himself was just a dream, mere fantasy; if it wasn't for the fact he _knew_ it was truth, deep down in his soul. He remembered their spoken vows, word for word. Vows he intended to keep. There was a dull, aching emptiness in his chest without her…

Kili opened his eyes, tearing himself away from memory, and looked at what surrounded him. What graced his vision now was the same scene that was there since he first awoke, the tidy, warm little room, the posted bed, the warm blankets and the clean bandages and fragrant salves that dressed his rapidly healing wounds. Much that was around him was unchanged since his awakening; it was he who had changed in the last few days. Even with the return of his senses, his mind was still racked with doubt, worry and desperation. If only there was a salve for his aching soul…

Kili heard his hosts moving about the little house, the soft patter of Liyana, and the more sturdy footfalls of Dirk, side by side. The sound of wood scraping across the floor caught his ears. They were pulling up chairs next to the fireplace that was in the room just a thin wall away from him, he suspected. He turned his head to the side, passively hearing their conversation, listening just as a distraction.

In the next room, Liyana and Dirk were sitting by the fire, sipping tea for a moment before retiring to sleep.

"How is he?" Dirk asked his wife.

"When I checked on him earlier, our guest was fine." Liyana replied, with a smirk. "He heals faster than any man I have ever mended. He can probably get up and walk, but he does not seem to want to." Dirk nodded.

"Does he remember anything else yet?" he asked. Liyana shrugged her shoulders

"He did not tell me anything about it…but, honestly, he does not say much." She pursed her lips and leaned closer to Dirk. "I worry about him. He stares out the window, all day, and all night." She said. "He just seems so lost. I hope he will remember something more when he gets back home, wherever it is. It must be horrible to just forget such a large part of your life…" Dirk crossed his thick arms.

"It will come back to him, I am sure. We must bring him to Erebor, to his people. But for now, we must think about leaving for Dale sometime soon." He reminded her. "It is getting colder, and may yet snow."

"I know, I know." Liyana replied, with a sigh. "There is only so long I can let her wait. I am the only one who will go with her now."

"Yes, and she grows no younger, you know." He said. "I don't know how much longer your great Aunt can travel up that hill."

"She will do so until she passes, I believe." Liyana answered, with a laugh. "She lives for it."

"Why does she insist upon making that journey, if it is so perilous for her now?" Dirk said, clasping his hands. "Others can take the flowers to the memorials on the mountain for her." He insisted.

"Oh no, she insists upon taking the gifts there herself." Liyana answered. "She feels she has to, once a year, after the crowds of dwarves leave the mountain quiet after of the Festival of Durin. She spends most of her time at the one for the dwarf prince. The elder one, I believe."

In the next room, Kili's interest in their conversation was piqued…

"Why is that one memorial so special to her?" Dirk asked.

"I am not sure…" she answered, shrugging her shoulders. "Perhaps they were friends."

"Hmm. A Lakeman girl, friends with a dwarf? They were enemies, at that time…" Dirk reminded her.

"No, not really. It was a disagreement over treasure, at that time. Made worse by the presence of the elves in Dale, my grandmother told me."

"Hmm. I was not aware that the elves were such good friends of the people of Dale as to come to their aid…"

"Well, it was complicated. I don't believe they were close allies before, but they became so, after the war. My great aunt had a friend who was a she-elf, one she traveled with all over Middle earth when she was a young woman." Liyana said, becoming pensive. "Now, what was her name…" She wondered aloud.

Kili sat bolt upright in his chair by the window, and turned to the closed door, now intensely listening to every word…

"She stayed in elven cities on her journeys. Do you think that is why she is the oldest of her siblings, yet only she still lives?" Dirk asked.

"I don't know if she received some sort of grace from being with the elves, but she may have. I do know she learned much about the healing arts in their stead, because she passed that to me." Liyana said, as her brows knit. "It really bothers me that I can't remember her name."

"Who's name?" Dirk asked.

"The elf I was speaking of…" Liyana said, a little miffed.

"It will come to you." Dirk said, leaning back into his chair. Liyana looked into the fire, deep in thought.

"My aunt spoke of her so often I can practically see her in my mind. She was a warrior, from the woodland realm, an excellent archer, as beautiful as she was fierce, as fast as the north wind, with hair like fire…"

The door to their guest room burst open so rapidly, it made them both nearly jump out of their chairs. Kili strode out of the room, a bit unsteadily, his eyes wide, and his expression intense. His gaze locked on Liyana. Liyana stood up and approached him.

"With eyes as green as emeralds...Tauriel…" Kili said, with a light in his eyes Liyana had not yet seen before.

"What?" She stammered, holding on to his shoulder, for fear he would fall for lack of standing.

"Tauriel!" he said, almost breathless. "The elf you were speaking of…was her name Tauriel?" Liyana thought about it for a moment…

"Why, yes! I believe it was." Liyana admitted. "But…how did you..?"

Kili brought his hands to his face, and he gasped with relief, walking a few steps back.

"By Mahal, that means she survived the battle. Oh, thank the gods!" Kili said fervently.

Both Liyana and Dirk stared at each other, then the dwarf in disbelief. He turned to Liyana again.

"Do you know where she went? Where she is now?" He asked insistently. Liyana was still too surprised at Kili's sudden burst of energy to respond for a second.

"No, no I don't know where she is now." She said, finally. "But wait just a minute. Why do want to know?" Kili's expression changed with purpose.

"I have to find her." He insisted, his eyes pleading. "Now I know she lived I have to find her!" Liyana could see the desperation in his face.

"If she is a woodland elf; she probably retuned to the woodland fortress." Liyana suggested. Kili shook his head, and backed away, turning around, a little despondent.

"No, she would not be there." He said, turning back around to face Liyana, with a slight bit of sadness now tingeing his features. "She was exiled from her kingdom… because of me." He said, with a fist over his heart. He approached her, his expression imploring. "Please…Is there anything else you know about her?"

Liyana blinked at the dwarf standing before her. Her head was spinning with the audacity of a dwarf caring about the whereabouts of an elf. But despite that, she thought about it seriously for a second. The dwarf who seemed to be dead inside just a few hours ago was up and walking and more alive than she had ever seen him…and it was wonderful to see. He seemed so sincere; Liyana would do anything to help him.

"Master dwarf, I don't know anything about the current whereabouts of that elf, but I do know someone who may…" Liyana said, with hope in her voice. "My great aunt, Princess Sigrid."

Kili smiled widely, for the first time in decades.


End file.
